Getting a Recruiting Agency to Work for You

Now that you are past the basics of landing the tech sales job you want, let’s get into some more of the advanced concepts. One major part of the application process that people don’t take advantage of is the vast amount of tools available to you.

Companies make it their job to help you get a job. One of the best things you can do is to utilize the tools and services available to you. For example, Rainmakers.co specializes in helping aspiring salespeople and experienced salespeople get the jobs they need to further their career.

Is A Recruiting Agency Right For Me?

Sales agencies pride themselves on their ability to land jobs for their clients, but not all agencies are created equal. Your best bet is to seek out agencies that have connections in the industry, are focused on a limited amount of companies, and provide coaching throughout the process.

You may be asking yourself if it’s worth going through the process of finding an agent. Well, consider it like this, an agency is going to get you a job that’s best for you at your stage in your career. An agency that promises you a CEO job at Apple is obviously not telling you the truth.

Nailing the right job, and not necessarily the best job, will maximize your growth and profits. All of this will greatly outweigh whatever cost you incur by hiring an agency to help you along this process.

High Touch

High touch is an industry term used to describe the relationship an agency has with its customers and clients. The term symbolizes honest human interactions over corporate jargon. We are all human beings, no matter what job we have. When an agency can achieve a real relationship with both potential employers and potential employees, the process becomes much more natural. Relationships based on high touch last longer and yield greater results.

You can test out how an agency performs by simply giving them a call. If you have to go through two automated call responses and three customer service reps before you can have a real conversation about your goals, then they are not the agency for you.

The way an agency deals with you is the way they deal with their potential employers. Poor communication, overly complicated processes, and stale results are red flags to anybody looking for an agency to get them hired.

Limited Amount of Companies

An agency will usually ask you what companies you would like to work for. Perhaps your dream jobs and what jobs you think you are capable of handling today. An easy tactic used by sleazy agencies is to immediately promise your biggest goal right up front. But the truth is, an agency cannot have connections to every single company that has a sales department.

A good agency will have solid connections to a limited amount of companies. Usually, those companies will be focused in a particular field. This allows an agency to create deeper connections with companies. Deeper connections lead to more clear understandings of what a company actually needs.

This may sound simple, but consider how important that single fact above is. Let’s say a company is growing and has developed a relationship with a hiring agency. Part of what makes the agency great is the understanding of how companies in their sector grow. Certain companies go through particular stages of development that are trackable. For example, one of the first hires a company should make is an account manager, any good agency will know this and know what hires to make next.

The agency is an aid to the company as it grows because it provides them with employees who fill the necessary roles as they become available. This relationship is invaluable and it shows the skills of an agency when they have multiple relationships like this on the books.


Good opportunity for coaching during the process if you pick the right one

Good coaching will make or break your career. If an agency advises you to take a position you are not ready for, then your reputation in the industry can be ruined. On the other hand, if you are recommended a position you are overqualified for, you can be stuck in a job you don’t need for years.

A good coach is always a positive asset no matter what industry you’re in. That’s why having a high touch relationship with your agency is primary to your success. A good coach will help you land the right job at the right company which will multiply your success.

Conclusion

Hiring an agency to help place you may seem like the easiest way to secure a job. The only problem is that many agencies have a quota to hit. They don’t necessarily care about you as an individual. You can easily be swept up into an excel sheet and treated like a number. If this is not an issue for you, reach out a repudiable agency and see what they have to offer.

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best tech sales jobs

Landing The Best Sales Job in Tech

Finding the best sales tech job is a challenge. It requires hard work, focus, and resourcefulness. The skills we will discuss do not only apply to land a job. They will help you become a rainmaker for your company. No matter what your experience in the field, if you come at this with a positive attitude you can land that great new job in sales tech.

However, a positive attitude will not take you the entire way. Nobody can just walk in the door at Apple and demand the job of their dreams. You will need to spend some time in the industry before big companies will even consider you. Don’t think that can skip the line to the top. This is your career, prepare for a lifelong commitment to mastery.

Consider this process as the first step to focusing on your craft. You may need to begin at smaller companies that don’t necessarily have the brand awareness of your dream job. In fact, starting your career at a small company with an unknown brand can be a great opportunity. If you can help a small company grow exponentially, then you will have a real victory on your resume. The more you succeed, the more leverage you will have in the industry.

Perhaps, however, you’re already experienced in sales and are looking to improve. We believe that even the experienced can benefit from going back to the fundamentals of what makes a good salesperson. Apply the lessons we will discuss in our lessons, and you’ll go from good to great.

The key here is what is the best position for you. Everybody has their own particular set of skills. The worst thing you can do is take a new position that does not play to your strengths. So we already know you have to hustle, be motivated, and know how to produce results in order to get the best job possible. Now let’s look at how to nail down that position that you know you can thrive in.

Radar

Nobody is going to hand you the ideal job. No matter how long you meditate and visualize the job you want, nothing will happen until you go out and make it happen. Part of that process is being aware of what’s going on in the industry. Make a list of companies you are interested in and learn as much about them as you can.

Learn about their culture and work life. See if you can determine the quality of the company before you even make an effort to apply. Find the networking events they attend, connect with them on LinkedIn or their social channels. Do everything you can to make connections and source information. Not only will this inquisitive mindset help you in getting the right job for you, but it will also help develop your skills when you’re actually working in sales.

Sales Landscape

According to LinkedIn, sales is the single most important component of a strong candidate. There are so many ways people can distract their employers from the fact that they may not be good at sales. They can decorate their resumes, lean heavily on their college degree, or even point to their numerous extracurricular activities. Always remember this, nothing compares to the ability to makes sales.

We will talk a lot about the macro level of hiring in this industry and as you read you will be achieving the goal of educating yourself on the topic. But this does not mean you can rely on this program alone. Seek out friends in the industry and start networking with companies even though you know you don’t want to work for them. Any connection is a good connection in sales and individual growth.

The Interview Process

Learning more about sales will make you see the world a bit differently. You will begin to see more and more things as a sales process. There’s something you want, but you can’t have. Therefore you develop a way to communicate what you want, a way to offer equal or greater value, and finally closing the deal.

The interview process is no different. Your potential employer is looking for something and is willing to offer something of value in return. After you decide that you are willing to accept what they will offer, then it’s your turn to prove to them you can return the exchange with something equal or greater. This is much easier said than done.

The best way to start with your best foot forward is to make sure all written communication is perfect. There is no excuse for typos here because you have plenty of time to read through your writing multiple times. Be clear and concise, do your best to judge the situation to see if slight humor or a complete dry interaction is necessary.

Research everyone you make contact with during the hiring process. The more you know the people you’re interacting with the better you will feel when you come face to face with them. If you know who they are before they know you, you will display a sharp intellect and a real desire to be a part of the team.

Like every sale, you need to be committed to the close. Whatever they throw at you be ready to meet their needs and move on to the next step. Do not procrastinate on replying to emails or sending the necessary documents. This will be an immediate red flag for them and they will quickly pass you up for someone more diligent.

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The Importance of LinkedIn

A major part of landing the sales tech job you want is mastering up your social media presence. You don’t have to be everywhere but you have to at least be on LinkedIn. Without going into too much detail, LinkedIn is regarded as the most professional social media site that exists right now. You should expect your potential employer to see your LinkedIn, that’s why it’s important to make sure it shines.

Your Performance

Don’t be afraid to show your results on your LinkedIn page. It may seem a bit vain, but you want your employer to see exactly what you have accomplished in your previous sales position. Of course, blur out any sensitive information before making your numbers public.

Putting your results on display will be proof to your employer that you have skills in sales. And depending on the quality of your numbers, that image alone may be the thing that gets you hired. If your numbers aren’t stellar, then you need to make a judgment call as to whether or not your results will make you look good.

Your sales may not be completely relevant to the position you are applying to now. Don’t let that deter you from posting your numbers. Your results in sales, no matter the industry, will at least convey you understand the process and can close a deal.

If you don’t have any sales experience then you won’t be able to show off your results. Instead, position your work experience in a way that sets up your change into sales. Let’s say you were in customer service. You can highlight your abilities with customers and link to whatever testimonials you have. This will show that you have social skills which is a major aspect in determining a good salesperson.

Logos

Logos will go a long way on your resume. Showing your potential employer that you have some well-known employers on your resume will only add to your perceived credibility. It’s obvious but name brands that employed you prove that you are credible in your field and will provide your current employer value simply by associating with them by hiring you.

However, some employers don’t have well-known names that will impress your potential employer. To make up for this, show how drastically you have changed the company while you worked there. Whether you were in sales or not, highlight all you have contributed to the company and how much they valued you.

If the companies you worked for don’t have a logo available on LinkedIn, make sure to work with them to make that happen. A simple inquiry with LinkedIn staff will get your previous companies logo available. You don’t want to show your new employer a default stock image in the place where the companies brand should be.

Case Studies

When presenting yourself on LinkedIn, make sure to highlight what a tech sales employer is looking for. Instead of saying, “I sold into top retail accounts”, put that you closed Urban Outfitters in a 6-week process. Tell them what exactly you did, don’t be vague.

They want to hear how many clients you worked with open to close. They want to know how many of your leads were cold and how many were warm. They want to know how much you spent getting clients vs. how much money landing them earned the company. Don’t be afraid to tell the story of your successful sales on your profile.

One of the best things you can do is post testimonials. Primarily from clients but if you have them from your employer than use that as well. Perhaps you won some awards for selling the most for a particular month or year. Get your accolades and your top sales in a place where they are clear and easy to read.

Conclusion

Really nailing your LinkedIn profile is priceless. Let’s say you master your presentation on social media, yet you don’t get the job you applied for. Having a professional and up to date, LinkedIn can act as its own application process while you are busy doing other things. Always keep an eye on your LinkedIn profile, you never know when somebody will reach out to you with a potential opportunity.

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books for sales pros

4 Books That Will Increase Your Sales Productivity

Top Reads For Salespeople

Something we talk about a lot here at Rainmakers is the importance of continued education. There are so many masters out there that put all of their successes, lessons, and even mistakes in their books. Why make mistakes when you can learn from the mistakes of others? Books are excellent capsules for the human mind. There is almost no excuse for not learning from the greats who have made their knowledge immortal.

Sales is not something anybody can pick up and do; there is a ton of human psychology involved that the layperson cannot possibly comprehend at first glance. Nobody wants to spend their money. Most people have a tight budget and don’t want to ‘waste’ their hard-earned cash. That’s why you need to know how to give value to your customers while getting them into a buying mindset.

For beginners, the first thing you must master is how to be productive. If you can’t keep yourself busy for the workday, you will have no career in sales. Any decent salesperson is constantly generating leads, following up, making cold calls, networking, and closing deals. There is no room for slack in this industry; here are the four books that will help you keep up.

what are the best sales books

1. How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie

This book is an absolute classic and a must-read for any sales professional. You are already behind if you haven’t heard of this book yet. Maintaining a productive work day means keeping potential and existing clients in the loop at all times. You can achieve this by understanding the dynamics of human communication and social etiquette. The stronger your connections, the bigger your network will become. This will open you up to all kinds of opportunities that will keep you busy. If you haven’t yet, pick up this book immediately.

Check it out – How To Win Friends And Influence People

2. The UltraMind Solution, by Mark Hyman M.D.

The UltaMind Solution is not a sales book at all; in fact, it has absolutely nothing to do with sales. However, the issue here is productivity, and Mark’s book will unlock a level of energy within you that you would never have thought possible. By making a few simple changes to your diet, you can achieve almost superhuman levels of energy in your day-to-day life. Any salesperson willing to commit to their career needs all the power they or they can get. Mastering this book will put you head and shoulders above even the most experienced salespeople in your field.

Check it out – The UltraMind Solution

books for sales professionals

3. Secrets of Closing the Sale, by Zig Zigler

A critical part of staying productive is understanding how to close your sale quickly. You don’t want to spend weeks or even months tracking down a client to get them to buy. Learning how to close will free up your time so you can use it to generate more leads and close more deals.

This is the first book on the list that starts to dip into the psychology of what makes a person buy. As discussed above, people just going about their day aren’t necessarily ready to part ways with their money. But when you understand the psychological factors that get people to buy, you will save a ton of time and energy during the sales process. Even if you get a hard NO, you push your client to the point where you know ultimately that they will not buy. Then, instead of them just being nice to you and leading you on for who knows how long, you’ll get your answer so you can move on to people who potentially will buy.

Check it out – Secrets of Closing the Sale

4. To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others, by Daniel H. Pink

‘To Sell Is Human’ is another must-read book to understand the link between human psychology and selling. This book made a list because it is one of the most recent books that have achieved classic status on this topic.

Within its pages, Pink talks about the correlation between persuasion and selling. He also outlines that regardless of your profession, a challenge that comes up quite frequently in life is the ability to effectively persuade someone else of an idea. Whether it’s getting children to do their homework or convincing a significant other to eat at a restaurant of your choosing, there is always an element of persuasion or selling necessary. Thus, Pink can derive the name of his book from this basic principle.

Check it out – To Sell is Human

sales recruiting agency

Conclusion

You can read tons of books on this topic, but these four are absolute must-reads. Increasing your productivity means getting smarter, being healthy, being motivated, and closing as many deals as possible. Of course, you will make mistakes and hit roadblocks, but committing to success will pull you through. Once you build momentum, you will forget what it was like to be unproductive in your field.

Ready to go beyond the books? Create your profile on Rainmakers to get started!

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The Top Characteristics Of Successful Sales Managers

Sales management positions are extremely rigorous and difficult positions. The men and women who earn a sales management job in tech startups or enterprises are the people who bring massive revenue and inspire huge results with their teams. To put it simply, a sales manager is what gets money through the door. Having a constant flow of income is the foundation of every business. If you can be the rainmaker for your employer, you will be treated as an invaluable asset. But the question is, how do you develop the skills to be a high functioning sales manager?

To develop your skills as a sales manager, sometimes you just need to throw yourself into the water to learn how to swim. But, before you do, here is one key ability you will need to be successful.

Know Your Ideal Position

Knowing your ideal position is a key ability you will need to master in order to be successful as a sales manager. Within sales, there are many different departments that require leadership. For example, business development teams need different leadership and management compared to sales enablement or field sales reps. Placing yourself appropriately within your team can be the difference between making in rain or feeling the pain. 

Think about it. The VP Sales or CSO at a bootstrapped tech startup is going to have everything on his shoulders – the training, process creation and development, hiring, coaching and stack development. However, the VP of Business Development at an enterprise organization will have more narrow, specific focuses. Depending on your skills and experience, one or the other position will be best for you and ultimately the company as a whole. 

Answering the questions of your ideal position will require some introspection. You must know yourself before you will be fit to manage an entire sales team. Do you love to help people? Being the business development leader will allow you to coach the SDR or BDR team. They’re learning, are thirsty for knowledge, and want to improve so they get promoted.

Put together a list what you like doing and the corresponding positions that match your interests.

Be an Advocate for Your Company and the People You Work With

The second part of your question deal with personality traits of a successful sales manager. One thing that employers love the most is having someone who loves the company as much as they do. What employees often don’t understand about the higher ups in their company is exactly how much they have dedicated their lives to making their company successful. When they see others with their level of commitment they instantly hold you in high regard.

Part of this process is gaining visibility and recognition among the leadership team and the sales team. Being open and available to as many people at the company is one great way to build trust and familiarity with you. Imaging the stuck up manager who only comes out of the office to bark orders and make impossible demands, do not be that guy. Don’t just make small talk either, the people you work with are human beings with unique stories and traits. Learn who they are and how they best fit within the company. As the sales manager you may find positions for people that will make them a lot happier and more productive, it’s a win for everybody.

This doesn’t only apply to your immediate group. Meet the marketing team and the content creators or whichever departments are relevant to the business. The benefit of this is to build relationships within the team and to show your real intention to join the team for reasons other than the salary. But, of course, you have to balance this process out. You can’t be too needy for attention either. Your social skills within the company is a skill and should not be overlooked just because your numbers happen to be good this month.

Let’s face it, many people at your company don’t necessarily want to be there every day of the week. If you can establish yourself as somebody they look forward to seeing, you will boost moral which will lead to a healthier more successful workplace for everybody involved, including yourself.

Never Stop Learning

Your skills are what will determine a large part of your success. Luckily there is a wealth of information about specific within the sales process itself. When you’re not working, you need to be absorbing as much information as possible from books, seminars, videos, and podcasts. You want to be the guy who is always up to date with the cutting edge of your field. If you don’t think you are up for the lifelong path to mastery, then consider a different field.

People who have been massively successful have written their entire life stories down for us to learn form. Sam Walton has a great book called “Made in America” that’s a great primer for any ambitious person in the sales field. We don’t have to make mistakes in order to learn, we can simply learn from the mistakes of others and avoid the pain all together.

 

Conclusion

Taking a position as a sales manager is a massive commitment. Be ready to put all your skills and energy to the test. When you become successful, don’t become a jerk about it. Make sure your team feels just as successful as you do when things go right, and just as much to blame when things go wrong. Good luck on your new position!

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The Offical Rainmakers 2018 Dreamforce Party Guide

Dreamforce 2018 is right around the corner! I hope that everyone has their pitches rehearsed and their business card ready. Networking is an important piece of running your booth, but don’t forget that the networking doesn’t end when you leave Moscone. You can’t forget the parties, and who has time to research all of them? Don’t worry – Rainmakers has created a 2018 Dreamforce Party Guide, sorted by date, so you can plan accordingly. Register soon before all of your favorite events are filled.

Featured Event

Modern Sales Pros and Modern SaaS – 2018 Dreamforce Happy Hour

Rainmakers is excited to sponsor the 2018 MSP Happy Hour.  This is not an event to miss. The demand has been so great, that the party has been expanded to a block party including three bars and a restaurant.  In addition to being to being a general sponsor, Rainmakers is taking over Iza Ramen and hosting Rainmakers Ramen – A night of networking and noodles (and Saki, beer and wine) on us!  You won’t want to miss this.

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Modern Sales Pro, Modern SaaS, Bravado, Chili Piper, ChorUS, DiscoverOrg, DocSend, GrowLabs, Guru, Rainmakers, SalesLoft, Skaled, and Troops.

Summary:  The MSP happy hour is happening again so that MSP and Modern SaaS members from around the country can meet and greet in person.

When:  Tuesday, September 25th, 2018  5:30pm-9:30pm

Where:  Raven Bar & BloodHound – 1151 Folsom Street

Sign Up Here

Also, our COO, Michael Theron, is being featured at the Sales Hacker Leadership Lounge, speaking on a panel How to Scale a Successful Sales Team. Breakfast will be served.

All Events

Monday – September 24th, 2018

Power Up for Dreamforce Party

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Simplus

Summary: Power up for Dreamforce with food, drinks, vintage arcade games, and giveaways.

When:  Monday, September 24th, 2018  7:00pm-11:00pm

Where:  The Dirty Habit at Hotel Zelos  12 4th Street

Sign Up Here

PepUp Tech Karaoke for a Cause

Hosted/Sponsored By:  PepUp Tech

Summary: PepUp Tech’s Karaoke for a Cause.  Karaoke with donations going to support a lot of great causes,

When:  Monday, September 24th 7:30pm

Where:  Pandora Karaoke  177 Eddy Street

Sign Up  Here – Tickets are $30

Tuesday – September 25th, 2018

WalkMe DreamForce Party

Hosted/Sponsored By: WalkMe, DialSource, TimeTrade, RFPio

Summary:  Not only is this he event a great opportunity to relax and “let-loose” after Day 1 of the conference, the WalkMe Dreamforce Party brings together top influencers — across every industry representing several hundred organizations — in a casual and professional environment for establishing valuable connections.

When: September 25th, 8pm

Where:  Terra Gallery – 511 Harrison Street

Sign Up Here

Modern Sales Pros and Modern SaaS – 2018 Dreamforce Happy Hour

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Modern Sales Pro, Modern SaaS, Bravado, Chili Piper, ChorUS, DiscoverOrg, DocSend, GrowLabs, Guru, Rainmakers, SalesLoft, Skaled, and Troops.

Summary:  The MSP happy hour is happening again so that MSP and Modern SaaS members from around the country can meet and greet in person.

When:  Tuesday, September 25th, 2018  5:30pm-9:30pm

Where:  Raven Bar & BloodHound – 1151 Folsom Street

Sign Up Here

DemandBase After-party at Temple

Hosted/Sponsored By: DemandBase, Salesforce Pardot, Engagio, Certain

Summary: Join Demandbase and fellow B2B marketers at the iconic Temple Nightclub. Dance the night away in the fully immersive state of the art LED lighting nightclub with world-class sound system. There’ll be live DJs, drinks, food and plenty of dancing!

When:  Tuesday, September 25th, 2018  9:00pm – 12:00am

Where:  Temple Nightclub – 540 Howard Street

Sign Up Here

The Dreamforce Premier Silent Disco!

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Conga

Summary:  Located just across the street from Moscone at the ThirstyBear Brewing Company. Conga brought you the original silent disco of Dreamforce, and this year they’re outdoing themselves! With three DJs and an open bar, come ready to party and unwind from your first full day of Dreamforce.

When:  Tuesday, September 25th, 2018  7:00pm – LATE!

Where:  ThirstyBear Brewing Company  661 Howard Street

Sign Up Here

#DF2018 Taco Tuesday

Sponsored/Hosted By: DIA

Summary:  Come and join us for “Muchos Tacos” on Dreamforce Tuesday evening, help support a great cause and bathe in the #Ohana Spirit as you find the groove of your 2018 Dreamforce experience. You don’t have to speak Spanish to attend… just bring a hefty appetite for tasty Tacos. Anyone attending Dreamforce is welcome!  Your $40 ticket gets you a Taco Fiesta which lets you build your own Tacos from a variety of choice ingredients such as soft corn & flour tortillas, choice of 2 types of meat, black & pinto beans, with a variety of salsas, cheese, onions, cilantro, lettuce, limes, guacamole and sour cream. Mmmmm has my mouth watering now!

When:  Tuesday, September 25th, 2018  7:00pm-11:00pm

Where:  Nick’s Crispy Tacos and Rogue Lounge  1500 Broadway at Polk St.

Sign Up Here – Tickets $33

**DF2018 Badge needed for entry.  All proceeds will be donated to Mission 22

Salesforce North Party @ Dreamforce

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Salesforce

Summary:  We have the pleasure of inviting to a North Europe party – San Francisco style!  The concept: Connect with your fellow Trailblazers: Mingle with all kinds of Trailblazers from the BeNeLux and Nordic regions.  Taste of San Francisco: Food stations from different parts of the city; like the Castro, Chinatown, the Mission and North Beach. Dance to top DJs: Dive into the night – streets of San Francisco style!

When:  Tuesday September 25th, 2018  6:30pm – 10:30pm

Where:  The Mezzanine  444 Jessie Street

Sign Up Here

BlueSkies

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Bluewolf, an IBM Company.

Summary:  Join IBM and Bluewolf for our exclusive BlueSkies celebration above the fog at a historic location. Enjoy an evening of networking complete with mixologists serving up curated cocktails, and a live band.

When:  Tuesday, September 25th, 2018  7:00pm – LATE

Where:  Location revealed via invite – exclusive!

Sign Up/Request Invite Here

Linkedin- Get Closer to Greatness

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Linkedin

Summary:  An evening gathering the world’s top innovators, leaders, and influencers in sales for an evening you won’t want to miss. In San Francisco for Dreamforce? We’ve got you covered.  

When:  Tuesday, September 25th, 2018  8:00pm – 11:00pm

Where:  Linkedin- 222 2nd St.

Sign Up/Request Invite Here

Wednesday –  September 26th, 201

SalesLoft Celebrate

Sponsored/Hosted By: SalesLoft, EverString, Intercom, Terminus, LeanData, Sendoso, Modern Sales Pros, and Videolicious.

Summary: Celebrate crushing your quota. Celebrate your recent promotion. Celebrate your bluebird deal.  Celebrate nailing your pitch. Celebrate making President’s Club. Join SalesLoft as they celebrate YOU at Dreamforce this year.

When:  Wednesday, September 26th, 2018  10:00pm- 2:00am

Where:  Temple Nightclub  540 Howard Street

Sign Up Here

Cocktails, Conversations, and Conversions

Sponsored/Hosted By:  DiscoverOrg, Marketo, Gong

Summary:  Come network with marketing and sales leaders on Thursday night while enjoying free drinks & apps – discuss some of your favorite sessions from the event and other tips & tricks you use to get ahead of the game!

When:  Thursday, September 27, 2018  6:00pm-8:30pm

Where:  Bar 888 – 888 Howard Street

Sign Up Here

Science Fair Happy Hour

Sponsored/Hosted By:  Ambition, Gong, and LearnCore

Summary:  Join Ambition, Gong, and LearnCore for complimentary drinks and bar bites, just steps away from Moscone in the beautiful Intercontinental Living Room bar area. We’ll be cooking up formulas for successful sales, mixing cocktail elements, and testing out some new games.

When:  Wednesday, September 26, 2018  4:00pm – 7:00pm

Where:  InterContinental SF – 888 Howard Street

Sign Up Here

The Concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals Featuring Metallica!

Hosted/Sponsored By: Salesforce.org, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals

Summary:  A benefit concert featuring Metallica and MC Hammer.

When:  September 26, 2018

  • 6:00pm Cocktails
  • 8:00pm Concert
  • 10:00pm After party

Where:  City Hall and Civic Center Plaza  335 McAllister St.

Sign Up Here

NewVoiceMedia Oktoberfest!

Hosted/Sponsored By:  NewVoiceMedia

Summary:  Join NewVoiceMedia for Beer, Bratwurst and more beer. They will be bringing the traditional Oktoberfest celebration to you at Dreamforce. Grab your stein and join them for the best party at Dreamforce.  This party always fills up so register ASAP to ensure you and your lederhosen get on the list.

When:  Wednesday, September 26th, 2018  5:00pm – 8:00pm

Where:  Tehama Grasshopper  431 Tehama Street

Sign up Here

Thursday – September 27, 2018

Sales Enablement Soiree

Hosted/Sponsored By:  Forrester, Salesforce, SiriusDecisions

Summary:  The Sales Enablement Soiree is the only networking event exclusively for Sales Enablement at Dreamforce.

When:  Thursday, September 27, 2018  9:00am-5:00pm

Where:  Four Season, 757 Market Street

Sign Up Here

Cocktails, Conversations, and Conversions

Sponsored/Hosted By:  DiscoverOrg, Marketo, Gong

Summary:  Come network with marketing and sales leaders on Thursday night while enjoying free drinks & apps – discuss some of your favorite sessions from the event and other tips & tricks you use to get ahead of the game!

When:  Thursday, September 27, 2018  6:00pm-8:30pm

Where:  Bar 888 – 888 Howard Street

Sign Up Here

The Engagement Party

Sponsored/Hosted By:  Idealist Consulting, Dig, iATS Payments, KnowWho, Mogli, FormAssembly, Rallybound.

Summary:  The biggest party of the year for nonprofits & progressives.

When:  Thursday, September 27th, 2018  9:00pm – LATE!

Where:  The Monarch  101 6th Street

Sign Up Here

MapAnything After Hours

Sponsored/Hosted By:  MapAnything, Simplus, Natterbox, Own, LinkPoint360

Summary:  A night of mind-blowing diversions & hypnotic sounds await you at San Francisco’s hottest nightlife destination, Temple Night Club. You won’t want to miss the diverse and soulful mixes created by California native, DJ Malachi.   Sip on your elixir of choice at their open premium bar, accompanied by an assortment of delectable hors d’oeuvres while you let the mystery of the evening engulf you. The line-up of unexpected & entrancing entertainment acts, every hour, on the hour will leave you wanting more.

When:  Thursday, September 27th  9:00pm – 2:00am

Where:  Temple Nightclub  540 Howard Street

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Limitless Party

Sponsored/Hosted By:  FinancialForce

Summary:  Located between Moscone Conference Center and your hotel room, our VIPCentral will be hosting the party of the year! Expect some seriously good food, killer music, cool entertainment, and crafty cocktails. Whether you want to get your groove on or do some networking in style this party will deliver.

When:  Thursday, September 27th, 2018  7:00PM – 10:00PM

Where:  Fogo de Chao  201 3rd Street

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trade show tips for exhibitors and vendor booths at conferences

Conference Booth Networking For Vendors: How To Standout From The Sea Of Other Booths

Conference Booth Networking For Vendors

You’ve seen it time and time again at conference after conference. The glorious expo hall, aka sea of SaaS vendor booths. Some are crushing, while others are sitting around wishing they had more people stopping for demos and chatter. This guide will explain how to stand out from the noise and get some real achievable ROI for your company’s booth investment.

Conferences are growing in importance within the business landscape in helping companies grow their brand awareness and engage with prospects. As such, a growing number of leaders in marketing are investing in booths and sponsorships for various conferences relevant to their particular businesses and industry.

Once such an investment has been made, the booth must be adequately staffed. The team must have a cohesive strategy to engage with attendees so that the company can achieve the greatest possible ROI for that conference. To do so, however, is not so straightforward and can be quite challenging since many other vendors are often prying for the attention of the same prospective buyers.

Therefore if you’ve been tapped on as one of the trusted agents of your enterprise to go to such a conference as the ambassador of your company, what are some ways you can stand out from the crowd and make the most of your time there? That’s exactly what we’re here to discuss.

Here are some best practices you can follow to maximize your chances of developing a positive relationship with a conference attendee and ultimately growing your company’s pipeline, which is what your executive team will expect from such an investment.

how to impress at trade shows

1) Smile

Think about it. Who would ever want to approach someone with an unpleasant frown at a booth? If it’s abhorrently apparent to others that the staffer doesn’t want to be there, they can safely assume their conversation with that individual will be lackluster at best.

The power of the smile, especially at conferences, cannot be understated. Smiles are contagious and can attract others. Smiling also signals to others that they are welcome to come and speak to you. It may seem like body language basics, but it works!

Best of all, it allows for the interaction to get a kick start on the right note, given that a smile will often be reciprocated, leaving your conversational counterpart to think subconsciously the exchange is going well. Of course, the rest of your conversation must continue to engage and excite the prospect, but this is a great way to get the ball rolling.

2) Act as a guide

This might be the best networking tip of them all.

Though you are not an employee of the conference, it may behoove you to try and match the knowledge of their staff. The reason is that if you can have a solid understanding of locations and schedules, you can act as a guide for those attending the conference. At the very least, we would advise you to try and obtain a map or schedule of the forum that you can reference for this purpose.

This can be a fantastic ice breaker to start a conversation and will create an opportunity for an immediately positive interaction since you’re offering assistance. For example, if you see someone with a lost look while you’re staffing your booth, you can directly walk forward confidently and ask if there’s anything you can do to assist them.

Once you’ve been able to help that individual, you can parlay the conversation so that you relate things to your company’s product or services. It’s highly possible that individual could be a prospective buyer or know someone who might be.

Another possibility is that the individual may be late to a session and speed off quickly after your little interaction but don’t worry, as your show of goodwill won’t be for naught. There’s still the possibility that you may run into that individual again later in the conference. Once an acquaintanceship has been established, it should be much easier to approach the individual later. Don’t let them leave without taking your business card, which is a perfect segue for our next point.

how to stand out trade show

3) Bring business cards and company swag

It’s safe to say that a booth without swag is at a significant disadvantage at these conferences. Though it may seem a bit materialistic, many conference attendees will feel inclined to engage with booth staffers to get free swag.

Though the seemingly frivolous distribution of items will often not lead to a lot of closed business, it can do a great deal for a company in terms of brand awareness. This is even truer the more unique that particular giveaway item is.

For example, we gave away branded fidget spinners as swag during one particular conference I had attended previously in the security space. In following up with one of our target prospects, he informed me that the timing for our services wasn’t quite right but that we’d be the first vendor he would call should circumstances change because he found our swag particularly unique. He had always wanted to get a fidget spinner as an office toy but didn’t want to go out of his way to buy one himself.

I’ve also seen this in action firsthand. Sumologic must have, at one point, distributed stress balls designed to look like a cartoon sumo character because we had quite a few lying around our offices. During one of our happy hours, a colleague happened to cap his beer glass with this sumo character which sparked a conversation about the hilarity of the item. What followed suit was a further discussion about the company and its ongoing business.

The need for business cards should go without saying, as it’s such a standard practice people will almost expect to be handed a business card at a conference. They won’t even bat an eye as to why it’s being given to them, and it only benefits you as a vendor to hand them out. The more items prospects have to remember you by, the more likely you’ll be the first to come to mind as a solution for a relevant problem in the future.

4) Add people on LinkedIn

Whenever you interact with someone at a conference, it would be wise to add them on LinkedIn. As mentioned earlier, the more items someone has to remember you by, the more likely you’ll be to come to mind. This carries valid in the digital realm as well.

If they are a prospective buyer, it will allow you to keep in touch more easily. But, even if they’re not, there’s a chance that someone in their network may be, so the next time you publish content, it only increases the chances it reaches the right people in your space.

You can, of course, also try and connect with these individuals on other forms of social media, such as Twitter and the like. Still, more often than not, people view other platforms as a hub for their connections, not professional ones. So unless you could connect with that individual personally, it might seem out of place to try and connect with them on any other platform. As such, we recommend, for the most part, you stick with LinkedIn.

sales recruiters

5) Ask about others first

Creating a memorable interaction can be very difficult at conferences, given the sheer volume of interactions attendees will have. One way you can give yourself an edge in trying to stand out is to first ask about others. It also works excellently as an ice-breaker since people often enjoy talking about themselves.

Many other staffers, especially the more inexperienced ones, will often start a conversation with prospects jumping straight into who they are and what their company can offer, knowing very little about the person they’re talking to. Like on a cold call, it’s hard to find value propositions around your product or services that a prospect can relate to unless you understand their role and responsibilities.

Therefore you should use this as an opportunity to make a little discovery. It will help transition the conversation to your company much easier and more relatable. Moreover, since the law of reciprocity naturally binds humans, you won’t even have to segue the conversation yourself. Since you have gone out of your way to ask about the person you’re speaking to, that individual will likely, in turn, ask you the same, which would be your cue to take the knowledge you just gathered and pitch your product or services in a manner that would be most relevant.

Conferences can be hectic for many with so many things going on at any given time, but ultimately the goal for any organization in making the investment to attend or sponsor these events is to get in front of the right people and grow their business.

Hopefully, these tips can help you stand out from the crowd and do just that. So now go out there and, as always, make it rain!

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qualities of a great sales development rep (SDR)

7 Vital Qualities Every Hiring Manager Is Looking For When They Hire An SDR

Sales Development is the hotbed career aspiring money-makers are desperate to get into and launch their career. However, San Francisco Bay area SaaS startups cannot hire SDR talent quickly enough because of the accelerated business growth opportunities that talented SDRs produce for their use.

But what makes one of these super hot startups choose one individual SDR over another for a position on their Sales Development team?

7 Qualities Of A Great SDR

  1. Drive
  2. Sector Interest
  3. Keen Learner
  4. Curious
  5. Skillful
  6. Team Player
  7. Aspirations For a Successful Sales Career

1) Drive

It’s well known that SDRs have one of the most challenging jobs in the business. It takes serious grit and determination to fight through the rejection, difficulties, and letdowns of being in sales development. This is why the drive is a requirement for any aspiring SDR.

Being driven will mean you’re ready to go through thick and thin in your work to reach your goals. You will have the automatic motivation and be prepared to put in the extra hours, turn up for work early, and generally make a good SDR. The best ones are persistent and will put in the time, so being a driven person will show hiring managers you are ready to work.

2) Sector Interest

If you’re passionate about a subject where you can find work, it will significantly assist with your application. Regarding SDR roles, look towards your target business vertical to find this connection. For example, someone who loves technology would find great motivation and satisfaction in selling an excellent new technology service or product.

The key is finding your chosen topics and areas to which you could create this connection. For example, in interviews, you will subconsciously light up and speak much more naturally when you begin to talk about the sector the business works in. Conversely, candidates with no interest in a particular vertical will find it harder to converse as naturally and go the extra mile as they can simply because you’re invested in the heart of the business.

Hiring managers will recognize you as a person who needs no help in understanding the market they are in and someone who will be able to speak very well to clients and prospects. In addition, they will know you’ll be more likely to work hard and enjoy your work in a sector you love. These ingredients equal a better SDR.

3) Keen Learner

SDRs often land at the lower echelons of the career ladder. Therefore, any SDR or future sales development leader needs to learn continuously. CEOs continue to learn daily, so you must show your willingness to learn.

The awareness that you need to learn a lot to become successful in sales development will present a good case for hiring managers. They will likely have programs and inductions to help you understand the ropes and gain the essential skills you need, but showing you are aware of this will only be a plus for them.

I would never hire anyone who thought they knew all there is to know about a subject or discipline, as things change so quickly. So show you are ready and willing to learn as much as possible.

4) Curious

SDRs often have to try new messaging and techniques to reach out and generally tamper with their work to improve results. You cannot do that unless you are a curious person who wants to try new things, find out what happens and experiment, and then optimize the results.

Being curious also leads to new ideas and innovation, which every company worth staying with for a long time will love. Of course, anybody can follow orders, but it takes a specific type of person to put their spin on a process or email body and test it out.

Curious people always ask questions to get to the heart of why something is done in a certain way, unearth new patterns and find new opportunities. This is where exciting things can happen.

5) Skillful

One way to impress the team you’re joining is to show them you’re cut from the same cloth as them. If you can cold call the team leader and relevant managers, email them and socially surround the leaders and the team, you’ve already shown that you’re developing the core sales skills needed to be successful.

This demonstrates a commitment and serious interest in working with the company. This persistence tells the company you’re bought into what they do and are dead serious about becoming a part of their team.

Not every candidate going for a job will do this, and even if other SDR candidates are calling into the business for the job you want, if you manage to reach out more creatively and get your interview or call back, you’ll have the respect of the hiring manager and sales leaders.

6) Team Player

Great SDR teams are made of team players, not lone wolves. Sharing what is working, giving feedback, and collaborating are great ways to build on overall SDR team success. However, if you show signs of becoming a lone wolf, hiring managers may easily see you not fitting into the team’s ethos.

When sales leaders share how they reward their teams for hitting quotas, they often reward the team with a day out, beers, a day off, and all sorts of team-orientated experiences designed to boost team spirit and collaboration. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work and does not incentivize the team if they’re all in the game for themselves and not interested in the team as a collective. Nobody builds a team like that.

Plus, any business can fail if the collective fails – even if one person is a superstar and crushes it. It is about the team, so showing you’re all about the team effort will help the hiring manager picture you in the group and build you into their unit.

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7) Aspirations For A Successful Sales Career

Sales is hard. You don’t get into sales and stay there if you’re not bothered and could happily do anything for a job. So if you have aspirations of a career in sales, it’s good to tell your hiring manager what that looks like. Even better, knowing roughly what the path to achieving that goal looks like is a good sign you’re a good individual with a plan, ready to execute it.

If you have serious ambitions and plan to become a VP of Sales with a team of 20, you can’t do that without starting sales. For employers, this is good, knowing that the candidate is serious and will do what it takes to reach it.

Looking for your next big sales role? Create a profile on Rainmakers and take your sales career to the next level!

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what is a rainmaker

What Is A Rainmaker In Sales? (And How To Become One)

Rainmaker Defined

In sales, a rainmaker is known as a person who flourishes in business development and wins new deals at an impeccable rate. Rainmakers are A-Players that typically outperform every person in the organization.

Anyone serious about building their career in sales has thought about or asked, “what is a rainmaker” in sales – and how do I become one? Top performers in sales are equipped for maximum performance in life and business.

They have a range of skills and abilities to understand, form alliances, and challenge and push for the proper outcomes to create success. Those who can make this happen are not only top performers in sales, but they can quickly climb the career ladder.

Establishing The Rainmaker Mindset

People argue about how salespeople are either born or made successful. Is it in their DNA, or are they taught?

I believe it’s actually about your mindset and attitude as a salesperson.

If you speak to prospects as though they are just a stepping stone toward achieving your own goals, you’ll get no cooperation from the prospect. This is why I think it is so important to think very clearly about what sectors and industries you actually care about.

Having this understanding will stop you from trampling over prospects and prospective clients. But if you have invested genuine interest in the sector the prospect is in and work for a company solving their problems, you will act in a way that works toward solving their problems. You’ll think of the prospect before your own needs.

If you care about something, you’ll put in the work, too. Salespeople have the unique ability to put in more work and get more return from it if they do things right. If you care about the niche or sector, you’re helping, what better motivation to put in the extra hour or two after everyone else has already gone home for the day?

Developing The Rainmaker Skills

Let’s breakdown the skills of a Rainmaker into four categories:

  1. Listening
  2. Expertise
  3. Ability to ask great questions
  4. Control

The emphasis today on personal and professional development has never been higher.

I invest hours – day and night – learning new things.

You don’t have to sit on your laptop and go through an expensive course, but there is so much content available at your disposal.

I listen to sales podcasts instead of music while I work most days, and even when I am taking some time to relax at the weekend, I’ll use my phone podcast app to listen to a few episodes whenever possible.

Make the most of the times when you have silence. For example, when I drive, an audiobook can be played. When at the gym, podcasts or audiobooks can be consumed.

If you have time to read, check out these essential sales books for building a rock-solid foundation in your career.

1) Listening

First and foremost, you must listen to what prospects say. If you don’t hear anything when they talk, how can you tailor your message and solution, let alone the conversation, to help them as best you can? Listen to what is said by a prospect, and understand their problems, reasoning, and goals. What is the need, and why is there a need? If you know the answers to these questions, however essential they may seem, you can at least tailor your response to get into the heart of the problem and solve it. There is nothing less engaging in sales than a generic-sounding, almost scripted salesperson talking.

2) Become An Expert

The natural second part of listening to a prospect is to have a great understanding of the market and the problems they have. Your product/service knowledge must be exemplary. There is no excuse not to have the best knowledge of what you sell on your team – if you haven’t got the best knowledge of it, you operate at a disadvantage.

Nobody wants to speak to a person who can’t help them. You must understand how to direct and guide clients from their current situation toward a successful outcome. This requires a level of skill, knowledge, and experience. If you feel you lack any of those three factors, do whatever you can to build on them. For example, ask to watch how a client is onboarded and serviced if you feel the experience lacks. Or brush up on your product knowledge if you can’t answer tricky questions well.

3) Questions

Asking great questions is an art you need to learn. You must prepare these questions before any call but be able to adapt should things not play out how you think they will. The art of asking great questions revolves mainly around quick but considered thinking.

You must ask a question that extracts the information you need from the prospect and moves them to think about the situation differently so they can see the right path to solving the problem. Get them to see things in a new light. It is much like solving a moving puzzle, but nobody said sales was easy!

Before going into a call, think about this: if the prospect knew the right way to get to the outcome they wanted in every situation, they would have done it already. The salesperson wouldn’t need to add any value or solve any problems. So, think about what the real problem is or what the real solution is. Then, educate and consult on how the prospect and account can reach the outcome. It is your job to have them realize the correct way to get the goal.

4) Control

It is vital to remember in the world of sales today that control is key. You will wait forever for the perfect prospect to stumble into your pipeline who books your following calls for you and asks to have your AE join the next call at the right stage. Sales is like training to be a tennis player. In many ways, the salesperson is the instructor dictating the speed and direction of the rally or the conversation. They adjust what they do according to how the other player works, but ultimately, they are the instructor. The instructor is there to teach the other player and help them break through the walls and steps they need to get through to succeed.

Recap: Becoming A Rainmaker

Of course, this must be done tactfully. For example, there is a level to which you can’t tell your prospect the next call WILL be at a specific time and date, and they WILL bring their VP on the call, etc. It would help if you established the control cleverly by explaining why the VP needs to be on the call, for example. After all, if salespeople had zero control, they would spend all their time talking to lower-level employees who couldn’t implement a change at the senior level.

Are you ready to become a Rainmaker? Start browsing jobs now!

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what are the most desired skills in a salesperson

Top 5 Fundamental Skills Needed To Succeed In Tech Sales

Best Skills for Tech Sales

In this article, we’ll break down the top 5 critical sales skills essential for high performance in tech sales.

When it comes to sales professionals, there are the good ones, the bad ones, and the ones that are simply great at what they do.

The bad ones are easy to spot. They’re the ones giving the profession a bad name and tend to fit in with the negative stereotypes we see and hear about in the media. Bad salespeople tend to focus only on themselves and what they stand to gain in making a deal happen. They give little thought, if any, to how the deal will impact their customer. They’re also usually very disorganized and sometimes even outright dishonest about the terms of the agreement.

All this amounts to a horrible customer experience and one that will not keep them around for very long. This commercial about a badger personified as a used car salesman, though fictional and exaggerated, provides a perfect example of what a lousy salesman is likely to act like:

Good salespeople are a little different in that they don’t work with customers in a way that leaves a bad taste in their mouths. They’re usually pretty friendly and diligent in getting their work done. They deliver on what’s promised and do their best to live up to expectations but where they fall short is in failing to go above and beyond. Most average salespeople are just that. Average. These are the guys that, as most would say, go through the motions. They approach their work as something that needs to be done rather than taking pride in the fact that they’re able to provide value to their customers.

That’s where great salespeople set themselves apart. Great salespeople take pride in what they do and live for the mission of continuing to provide that value. So how do you go from being an excellent salesman to a great salesman? Of course, many factors affect what makes a great salesperson, and those factors will likely vary depending on who you ask. However, a targeted list of critical sales skills will go unequivocally up your sales game if you focus on developing them.

1. Grit

According to Angela Lee Duckworth, grit is the most significant predictor of success and even more important than IQ. Grit is the ability to continue pushing yourself to work hard despite seemingly insurmountable odds. People with high levels of grit can keep themselves going even when others have lost hope and given up.

This is directly relevant in the world of sales because let’s face it, sales is a numbers game. There may be lucky streaks where you find a series of wins in a short time, but more often than not, you’ll have to comb through a hundred “no’s” before you make it to that elusive “yes.” Those hundred “no’s” can start to feel like an eternity.

What often happens is that after hearing no for the first 30 or so times, many salespeople start to lose their fire. Each failed attempt seems to chip away at their hopes of success, leading them to lose vigor. Even more so, some salespeople also seem to give up from simply being unable to get a hold of someone and assume that a lack of response means a lack of interest.

Great salespeople go to great lengths to ensure they get an answer from their prospect, whatever that answer might be. They’ve developed a thick skin and can persevere in the face of all these difficulties, knowing that it’s only a matter of time until all their hard work pays off and they land that one colossal success that makes it all worth it. They don’t let the small losses affect them because they understand that these are minor roadblocks in their inevitable path to success. They’re professionally persistent and optimistic that an opportunity always exists until there’s definitive proof that demonstrates otherwise.

how to build your sales team

2. Emotional Intelligence

Great salespeople are also very effective at understanding their customer’s needs. The reason they’re so great is because of something that’s widely known as emotional intelligence. They can put themselves in their customer’s shoes to understand what’s important to them. What are the needs versus the wants? What are the most significant pain points and challenges the customer is facing? What are the risks involved with going forward or not in the future with the deal from your buyer’s perspective? These are all questions that a great sales professional should easily be able to answer when evaluating a deal.

They understand that the customer is not concerned with how extensive the commission check will be and are more focused on the value they will recognize from buying the product or service offered. The greats can realize that if they correctly identify this value, they can quickly use that knowledge to close business with agreeable terms.

Another reason that great sales professionals develop their emotional intelligence is that they understand that there’s a premium associated with trust. Trust will beat price any day, which is why brands people know and love are valuable. Unless the price is the most critical factor in your prospect’s criteria, building trust and value is the best way to increase your odds of winning that deal. On the other hand, if the price difference is marginal, the customer will almost always go with the vendor they’ve developed the most trust with during the buying cycle.3.

find the best sales career for yo

3. Time and Task Management

Being busy does not always mean that you’re being productive. So you’ve made a hundred dials today and had 15 or so conversations? So what? If those 15 conversations were with the wrong people or companies that don’t fit your ideal customer profile, you might find out in a few weeks that those opportunities may never amount to anything.

In sales, there truly is a benefit to working smarter and not harder. Therefore great salespeople know how to effectively manage their time and recalibrate their focus on the most critical priorities. They identify the target companies and prospects with the highest likelihood of bringing in business and focus extensively on those.

Those highest on the leaderboards are also very aware of the health of their pipeline. They recognize that even if they have a ton of deals currently in the works if nothing is filling up the top of the sales funnel, they’ll eventually find themselves with a dead pipeline somewhere down the road. Therefore these guys are ALWAYS prospecting, no matter what. Additionally, suppose they work at an organization that doesn’t provide business development support. In that case, they find the time to put in even a few hours each week to ensure they find ways to continue feeding their pipeline. In doing this, they can keep their results consistent, unlike the average sales professional who may fall victim to more streaky sales due to improper pipeline management.

how to hire a great sales team

4. Navigating an Organization

This may seem straightforward, but a little finesse is required to navigate an organization effectively. Most people probably think you need to get a hold of the proper titles with the right message, and everything will be golden, but that’s not always the case.

In some situations, you may catch someone on an off day and, therefore, won’t be open to any messaging, no matter how it’s positioned. Additionally, there’s always the chance of something getting miscommunicated or misunderstood. Therefore it’s essential to understand how your prospective company is organized so you can use that knowledge to your advantage when trying to figure out who the best alternative people are to reach.

For example, let’s say you pitched to a Director at Company A, but for some reason, they didn’t buy into your value proposition as strongly as you would have liked. As a result, the deal cycle stagnates, and little activity is happening within the account. You’ve sent 15 emails and dialed them over ten times. Instead of nagging that same person and potentially souring the relationship, finding someone else who can champion your company internally may be better. However, there would be no point in reaching out to anyone else in the same team as it would roll back up to the same Director, and they will ultimately come to the same conclusion that your company’s value is questionable.

Instead, you should understand how the company is mapped out and find another relevant Director or someone at the VP level to re-pitch your product or service. Explain things to your new prospect in a way that makes sense to them, and let them convince your old prospect to change their mind. The same message can sometimes be received very differently depending on the source.

5. Storytelling

Of all the skills on this list, the ability to effectively tell a captivating story is probably the most important. Something about the human mind makes it easier for us to remember stories better than lists of facts. Great sales professionals use this to their advantage by weaving their value propositions and previous achievements throughout a story.

Where the average salesperson may come to a meeting to ‘show up and throw up, the seasoned professional will take a minute to bring some calm and comfort into the situation. Next, they’ll spend a few minutes building up rapport and then find ways to lead the conversation toward how their company works with or has worked with other clients for their benefit.

Compare the following two examples.

Example 1:

“Hello Mr. Client, thank you for your time today. I’d love to talk to you today about the new amazing features our product is capable of and how it will benefit  you moving forward. With Feature X, your employees will be able to accomplish their daily tasks with 15% greater efficiency. Additionally in switching to our product, our other clients are also seeing cost savings as high as 5 to 10%, resulting in an average ROI of 135%. Most importantly, we keep our customers happy and can even prove it with our 95% retention rate.”

It might get a few people’s attention, so not bad. But…

Example 2:

“Hello Mr. Client, thanks for taking the time to speak with me today. I understand that you’re currently looking for a new solution that can help you save some money while also helping increase the productivity of your employees. Is that correct? Great. Let me introduce you to Acme Corp, one of our current clients. Their business isn’t exactly the same but it’s fairly similar to yours and they actually approached us because they were facing issues that mirror much of what you’ve been telling us about so far. They’re workforce was not as productive as they would have liked and they thought they were overpaying with their previous vendor. After switching to our product, they were able to increase their company’s productivity by 15% and save 8% on their yearly contract. After only 2 years of using our product, they realized an ROI of 135%. To this day, John, their CEO, says that he couldn’t be happier with his decision, which is actually not uncommon for us to hear given that we have a retention rate of 95%.”

Perhaps not the most eloquent examples, but I hope it makes my point. Given that it will likely be a few hours or even a few days before your prospect will have to share their thoughts with the rest of the team on what you’ve presented, it will be the second example that will be the easiest to remember. Unlike the first example, it juxtaposes the situation before and after the decision to do business with your company and does so in a logical manner that’s easy to follow.

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There are, of course, many other skills an actual sales professional will likely want to develop beyond those on this list, but focusing on these five should be a good start for those looking to get themselves to the next level. So, if you’re lacking in any of these areas, spend the next few weeks working on developing these skills. You may be surprised at how quickly they will start to impact the success you’re seeing with your deals.

Are you ready to exceed expectations at your next sales job? Browse companies that are currently hiring and create a Rainmakers profile!

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