Beyond Marketers

"But why do you want to join a sales boot camp? You hate calling!" I have always hated talking on the telephone. Even as a reluctant child, writing thank-you letters after the holidays was a preferable chore to a simple call. Looking back, it still makes me shudder. So, when I started my own business, I vowed never to make outbound calls -- I would wait until people contacted me. For six years, that’s how I conducted my business. I waited for people to call or email me or fill out my website contact form -- whether they found me through organic search, referrals, or networking meetings. I got a fair number of customers that way, including two HubSpot retainers, and went from working by myself in a home office to a staff of four in our own office. In 2016, we started following  EOS  (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and established firm business goals. It became apparent our growth was restricted since I wasn’t actively contacting businesses who obviously needed ou...

Whether they realize it or not, most people negotiate all the time. They negotiate with their coworkers over which projects to prioritize, their employer over salary, their friends over what restaurant they should visit, their supplier over their contract, and so on. Knowing the six essential negotiation skills -- and practicing the ones you’re weaker in -- will give you a leg up in every area of your life. The 6 Most Important Negotiation Skills. 1) Rapport-building If you form a human connection with the other party, they’re less likely to view you as the enemy. You’ll have an easier time reaching an agreement that makes you both satisfied. They’ll also be more receptive to your initial offer. Quick tips: Show up with coffee and/or snacks to share. Spend a few minutes beforehand on lighter topics. Sit on the same side of the table as the other negotiator(s). 2) Active listening The quickest way to lose a deal? Monopolize the conversation and ignore the other p...

How do you feel when your phone rings and you realize you’re receiving a call from a salesperson? For most business people, it’s interruptive, annoying, and distracting. But if it’s your job to  call prospects , you don’t have to fall into the category of “pesky sales rep.” To kickstart a productive, professional conversation, you need a strong opening. Your opening should do two things: Get the prospect into a receptive frame of mind Make it easy for them to make a positive decision Here are eight call openings will engage the prospect so they don’t immediately hang up. 1) “My research shows that your company is in the process of ... ” This shows you are interested in them and you’ve spent some time finding a reason for calling.  It also shows you aren’t trying to sell them something right away. 2) “One of my clients, [name] at [company], mentioned to me you are [looking for, might be a good fit for] … ” Talking about a mutual connection gives you ins...

According to Forbes ,  80-90% of consumers research purchases online  before buying.  Whether you're in the process of launching a new business or already have one, having a strong online presence for your brand is extremely important. Small business owners looking for a way to track ROI and brand awareness need digital marketing. Not only is digital marketing a must-have for promoting your products or services, but optimizing your online assets is also critical to your business' overall success. Trellis  reports that over 90% of people searching online will not go past the first page of results on Google.  To ensure that your website shows up in search ahead of your competitors, It's important for your company to invest in search engine optimization (SEO) and keyword research. For local businesses, it's equally as important to have essential and updated information readily available for potential clients.  If you're a small business ow...

When I graduated from college, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Sure, I knew that I wanted, you know, to be employed. I knew I wanted to put my English degree to good use. And I knew I wanted some aspect of the written word to be involved. But what did that look like? “I dunno,” would’ve been my honest answer. It’s not that I received anything less than a great education. In fact, I have almost nothing but good things to say about my undergrad alma mater. It’s just that the school had fallen into the same problem that most universities do -- the coursework, while excellent, didn’t address what has turned into a pandemic marketing and sales skills gap. Granted, that was more years ago than I’d like to admit, before much of the technology essential to marketing and sales jobs was as prevalent as it is today. But according to research conducted by Boston Consulting Group,  companies still continue to fall short on the level of digital skills on their marketing teams . And a...