In a relatively short time, the strategy of business relationships has gone from direct to digital, from personal to pixels. But if you think the personal business relationship is dying, read this from Hillary Clinton:

“But you would think, in the world in which we live today, that with instantaneous communications, that you wouldn’t need to travel as much.”

“But, in fact,” Clinton explained, “you almost have to travel more, both because everybody knows you can get on an airplane and get to where they’re expecting you, but also because it’s almost as if the virtual reality cries out for the real relationships need to be affirmed.” (My emphasis.)

I just had a cold calling nightmare experience, and it’s the best experience I could have had.

It wasn’t even a cold call-more like a lukewarm call. I was calling the general manager of one of the oldest and most prestigious private clubs in Manhattan, following up on a personal letter of introduction I wrote that contained the name of a mutual acquaintance. This acquaintance is also the manager at my my private club and has an outstanding reputation.

The greeting by the receptionist was cordial and warm. I explained that I was a business advisor to private clubs, and asked to speak to Mr. (name), the general manager. She passed me on immediately. The general manager answered the phone and, before I could finish my introduction, was told that the club didn’t need any help, and goodbye.

Not was I expected. Private clubs are known for two things: gracious manners and not admitting that they need help. So, being told that they didn’t need help was not surprising- how I was told was.

I do not enjoy making unannounced calls, so I had pushed myself in this case. I expected some resistance, but also expected a one-sentence opportunity to explain my services. This exceeded even my worst case scenario for the call.

But, it wasn’t that bad. I lived through it and my ego is still intact. It also gave me some clues about who to target and how to change my introduction, so there was a learning lesson involved. And, I have to go back to my contact and see if there are any hidden issues that I need to learn about myself.

So, I am actually emboldened to try, try again. This may become a game. On the other hand, if only I could get my website to generate more leads…

Add this comment from the Friesen Group to the prior post on “Selling or Asking?”

“…complex questions are meant to create dialogue and discussion. They provoke people to search for the answer and learn along the way. They stimulate other important questions. They can’t be answered once-and-for-all, but keep showing up over and over again. They require re-thinking assumptions and prior lessons.”

See the entire post.

There’s a very interesting discussion in the SalesLab group on LinkedIn. Started by Ramachandra Bandekar, it asks if you believe that selling is the most important skill you can develop. Here’s an insightful comment by Patrick Coleman:

Actually, ASKING, is the most important skill one can develop. What many “sales professionals” fail to understand is that Asking IS Selling. Asking questions is how you begin to ENGAGE another person- and I mean this in any relationship: business, personal etc. You need to establish some connection with someone in order to develop a relationship. This goes way beyond asking questions to uncover ‘product’ needs or ‘pains’ which is now becoming obsolete…

I am successful because my questions are engaging, they are most likely questions they never heard before, and questions my competition don’t use- this is what makes me different.”

Questions are a fundamental part of the Kraft approach to Sales Management, and Patrick articulates its importance very well. What approach do you use?

What if you could get into the mind of your customer and really know what influences them to make decisions? What value would you place on this insight?

This article from Marketing Sherpa provides this insight. It’s based on the work of Robert Cialdini, Regents’ Professor of Psychology and Marketing, Arizona State University, who has spent 30 years studying the ways people are influenced. He’s whittled his findings down to six key principles, found in the fifth edition of ‘Influence: Science and Practice’.

The article states the principles, provides context, and suggests applications.

This is DNA marketing and selling. Take the insights from the article and build a new selling campaign approach around them.

Marketing Sherpa recently posted a case history which highlights how social media can be used to fill the sales funnel, in 6 steps. Read the complete article. A summary of the 6 steps follows:

Step #1. Create blog to start and join online conversations

Step #2. Establish a Twitter account

Step #3. Create LinkedIn group

Step #4. Modify press release strategy for blogger coverage

Step #5. Promote social media channels on company website and in email signatures

Step #6. Measure growth of social media accounts and Web traffic

An outstanding piece of research is available at http://membershipmarketing.blogspot.com/2009/08/membership-marketing-benchmarking-final.html

It’s packed with valuable facts that can be helpful to any organization that seeks to build membership. Here’s a description:

In the spring of 2009, Marketing General, Inc. (MGI) launched a survey designed to gain insight into the tactics and strategies that associations use to recruit members, engage new members, renew existing members, and reinstate former members. The goal was to better understand what tactics correlate with higher new member input, better renewal rates, and overall membership growth.

Over 500 association professionals participated in the survey and shared their associations’ information and experiences.

1. Great content. It’s no longer adequate to produce content-it must be great content. The Web is becoming flooded with content, and the task is to filter through to find the most relevant content. The way to produce great content is to be clearly focused on your target’s needs, and to communicate as briefly as possible, with links to expanded resources.

2. Video replaces podcasts. If you are only now considering adding podcasts to your content-stop. Video is becoming the medium of choice. Slick productions are not required, and for an investment of less than $2,000 you can have studio quality hardware (video camera, backdrop, and lights). Use software programs that are already part of your PC or Mac; with a little practice, or a savvy intern, you will produce effective videos.

3. Use Social Media Wisely. The tendency to dive into Social Media should be tempered with a well thought out strategy of the business purpose it will serve, and its cost in manhours.

4. The pure sales model will change. The Web is changing the balance of power from seller to buyer, as the buyer has more resources for information. Counter-balancing this will be the increasing pressures on buyers to perform more tasks, which will demand more of their time. The emerging sales model will require sales to use Web-enabled tools to provide buyers with new levels of service that were traditionally delivered during sales calls. Automated inventory alerts and instant messaging of new products are two examples.

One thing will never change- the need for strategic management. The increasingly rapid pace of business seems to scream for action and tactics, but both need to be tempered and managed through the deliberate and disciplined practice of business strategy.

Personas are powerful sales and marketing tools, and Bob Lancaster recently posted a helpful article How to Get Started with Persona-Based Marketing. Bob points to a new book by Ardath Albee eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale. I’ve checked out the table of contents and I’ll be ordering it.

Albee notes that B2B personas are different from consumer personas. She says; ““Personal characteristics are important, but B2B personas must recognize that the prospect’s professional standing and priorities will hold additional sway over what catches his attention when it comes time to solve a business issue.”

Aye, that’s the rub. B2B personas are different from consumer personas. She gives some examples of persona categories:

1. Problems Needing to be Solved: These are problems that tend to remain on the forefront of their mind and possible pain points.
2. Current Environment: Are there any obstacles to taking action on purchasing our product? These may include political conditions, lack of consensus on how to fix a problem, budgetary constraints, etc.
3. Strategic Business and Career Goals: Are there viable business outcomes that achieve company goals? Also, will it help personal career advancement?
4. Preferences and Aversions: What is their predisposition or perspective to solving the problem? Do they favor opportunities or risk mitigation?
5. Competitive Considerations: Does our product help them differentiate their company from the competition? Does the solution create an advantage or make them equal to competitors?
6. Influencers: Who can influence the buying process? Colleagues, stakeholders, users, champions, consultants, external peers.

I developed a different slant on personas for a B2B client’s sales force, based on situational differences. They are:

1. Life or Death: If you don’t help me now with special service I’m as good as dead with my company.
2. Make my life easy: I’m stressed out- do your job for me so that I can focus on more critical parts of my job.
3. Make me look good: I need to look good to my boss. Help me solve some problems and look brilliant.
4. Give me a comfort zone: I want to feel that I am in control.
5. Just be around: I like having a real person call on me and care about me and my company.

As you can see, they describe a range of stress/emotion/panic from positive (”no problems-feeling good”) to negative (”the sky is falling”).

What role do personas play in your sales and marketing strategies?

As a business owner, what must you know about sales and marketing and what can you leave for search?

The inspiration for this question is none other than Sherlock Holmes in The Five Orange Pips by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He is talking to Dr. Watson when he says, “…a man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber room of his library, where he can get it if he wants it.”

We are experiencing an explosion of information and an explosion of information delivery vehicles. Somewhere lies the answers to the most pressing problems, but where? Are those answers in our minds, or must we search for them?

What is it that the business owner must absolutely know about sales and marketing – be master of – in his or her position?

What are your thoughts?