Tech Sales Process Optimization | ChrisBell3rd & Company, LLC

First and foremost, if you haven’t read “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferris… you should pick it up! It’s got some eye-opening recommendations for sales executives and busy business owners with limited resources, big goals, who want more time freedom.

As many have, I picked a chapter in Ferris’ book, then I took a day and detailed every single business and personal activity I did during the day while asking these questions: “Will this activity generate more money AND more freedom; and which of these tasks can be outsourced?” The next steps were painful: five years ago I actually hired and fired 4 different virtual assistant companies in a 3-month period of time because the US-based individuals assigned to me lacked the flexibility, technical skills, and executive communication skills I needed to effectively interact with my high-maintenance prospects and constituents:  C-level executives and business decision-makers in the technology space.

But then, I stumbled upon Dawn Davis. Once I gave Dawn an overview of my business processes, primary objectives, and described my own unique preferences and protocols…  in one week a peaceful confidence and efficiencies I’d never known, cloaked my entire business. Moreover, I was able to pick up an extra 2 hours-a-day/40 hours per month/ 3 months per year of FREEDOM. It’s enabled a personal lifestyle change that allowed me to become more efficient, effective, and happy… generating millions of dollars of new software and services revenue for my employers and clients over the last 5 years. Question: What would you do if you found an extra 3 months per year?

Today, my “Virtual Assistant”, Dawn Davis also serves as my Director of Business Operations AND has brought on a hand-picked staff of extraordinary professionals in her own VA business that are simply top-of-the line. If you want to get your life back while taking your business to the next level… contact me. I’ve got the “hook-up” that could enhance your business

Win!!!

Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

Perfect World Network: Women in The Morning.

“Business Matters,” host Mindy Guisewite interviews Christopher Bell III, the author and creator of the “But I Hate Sales™”  seminars and events for non-sales people. If you own a business or are in business, you don’t want to miss this one! To listen to the radio interview online or to download this episode, click here: Radio Interview

Continue Reading

Any consultant who has been around long enough has heard this executive statement:  “I’ve done this before been there before, this is what works, and this is the course we’re taking. I didn’t get here because I’m stupid.”  Alternatively, few are well-positioned to challenge this presumption without fear of termination or loss of opportunity.

FAMILIARITY connotes: “I’ve successfully done this before, so of course I know what I’m doing today.” But In business, many of The Roads of Familiarity which were once traveled without incident have become over-used congested routes that are easy to follow because many that share this mindset and are the same road, reassuring one another… but going nowhere fast.

Here’s an option to consider: Go off-road and change the scenery. Follow a fresh trail of activity to uncover creative microcosms of expertise that are evolving in collaboration away from entrenched centers of understanding that have the potential to stoke the furnace of your creativity. Nevertheless, should you choose the path of familiarity… as least slow your roll, drive cautiously, and adapt to conditions such as you find them. It just makes sense.

Win,

Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

I recently had a flashback…

The first office job I had in the early 80’s was in a telesales sweatshop for Satellite Business Systems (SBS) co-owned by MCI, Comsat, and Aetna. I still have moments when I can hear the mono-toned echoes of my boss’ voice calmly saying: “Bell, make more calls… sales is a numbers game!” And like a hamster on a wheel, I kept running for my “production” numbers, cranking up 60 to 70 calls per day, eating lunch at my desk for my $12,000 base salary and an additional $13,000 in annual commissions… if I made my monthly quota.

As if experiencing déjà vu, I stumbled upon a business owner spouting off similar obsolete half-truths to members of their sales organization because they’re either clueless or in denial.  More than a few of today’s subject matter experts have spoken and written about the latest phenomenon in the buyer-seller dance, which is:  Buyers are self-diagnosing their “pain” and addressing 70% of their own issues before a sales rep can make a sales pitch. Result: by the time a sales professional is engaged in a qualified sales opportunity, the concept of “value” is off the table and price dominates the landscape. New reality: Some of today’s technology sales professionals are being marginalized by savvy buyers who are active before a formal sales engagement and they respect two things: a technology sales subject matter expert AND a fair price.

So, where are the buyers today?

• They are doing business with your competition in response to a content marketing message that was authored and directed to specifically address their issues in their market segment.
• They’re on their smart phone watching your competitors YouTube video on a mobile compatible website.
• They’re buying products and services from people and organizations where they are being educated.

In the technology sales space, today’s sales professionals can longer afford to be generalists as customers are now buying from people that can challenge perceptions and share what they’re unable to discern or discover for themselves thru their own research. Welcome the era of  technology sales subject matter experts.

-Chris Bell 3rd

Continue Reading

At-a-glance, this wasn’t a promising opportunity. My competition was the established incumbent in my target account and carried “trusted adviser” status in a key circle of internal influence. Moreover, I was a little late to arrive in this competitive scenario so I didn’t even forecast this engagement in an “Opportunity” stage because it would be a long-shot for me to close. However, for my competition (the CEO of an emerging technology company) this was supposed to be an easy, simple, “renewal & upgrade” deal coupled with an opportunity for a co-marketing agreement, right? Think again.

Most CEO’s may have successfully driven an end-to-end sales process at some phase in their company’s growth and development. But more often than not, as the company’s products matured and evolved, many settle into their primary role as the chief visionary and executive responsible for achieving investor requirements.

The result: CEO sales skills get rusty or they may not even be aware of  the recent subtleties and nuances of engagement that have evolved and are preferred by today’s decision-makers. The fact is, keeping up with changes in the technology sales industry aren’t a priority for a company’s senior executive and in general, it’s not easy to do. However, just as world-class professional athletes have training camps, ongoing practices and drills, coupled with personal performance coaching to stay competitive… so do the top technology sales reps. Therefore, matching-up a highly motivated and well-intentioned CEO against a well-trained, tuned-up sales executive may not be a fair fight. The bell had been rung, and I salivated like Pavlov’s Dog… sensing that a high-profile slam dunk on a competitor was now possible. Here’s why:

• A full-time CEO is a part-time sales rep.  Focus, or lose to those who do.
• No Escalation Option. Things happen. Something will go wrong.  Guess who has just put their executive reputation on the line?
• Limited Leverage in Negotiations. Have you ever seen a senior executive being humbled and having to put their ego in check because they’ve been turned into a “Discount Queen” to save a deal the Board of Directors were guaranteed would close? It’s not pretty… not pretty at all.
• Limited Account Knowledge.  A CEO can’t take the time to go deep AND wide in large enterprise engagements or in complex sales scenarios to really know and validate economic and technical buyer influences. Nor are they postured to challenge incorrect presumptions.  Last but not least, managing an internal home pursuit team that doesn’t normally “play” together while leveraging limited internal resources… is a nightmare for all parties.
• FUD (Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt)  A CEO who manages deals in competitive scenarios may be unintentionally promoting uncertainty and instability that translates in buyer code as “desperation.”
• Alienation from the Bottom.  Do W-2 salaried, director-level business and technology managers (generally the evaluators) feel comfortable transparently interacting with a self-employed, soon-to-be mega-rich CEO? Some do and some don’t. Want to risk it?

The net: Just because you can sell… it doesn’t mean you should.  Mr. CEO thank you. No, really… I mean it. THANK YOU.

-Chris

Continue Reading

The 2013 Technology Sales Arena. Are there new rules and new tools? Will it be a New Year with new fears? The velocity of change is only increasing in the technology sales/business development arena  and you already know… what got you here, won’t keep you here. You’re invited to register and attend a presentation hosted by the Howard County Economic Development Authority Speaker Series, authored by Chris Bell, III entitled “2013 Tech Sales Trends & Tips” that may transform your business.

Registration details are below…

Date: Friday, February 8th 2013
Time: 9AM to 10:30AM
Location: Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship
Address: 9250 Bendix Road, Columbia MD 21045
Registration http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5066734740#

Continue Reading

Coming in February 2013!

Sales training, books, CD’s, pod-casts, and seminars are integral to framing our understanding of what it takes to win in the technology sales/business development profession.  But has yesterday’s expert advice lost some of its efficacy or potency? What’s the shelf-life and expiration date on so-called “best practices” and established methodologies?  What’s new and what’s coming?  Can we talk about it?

In February 2013 “The Razor’s Edge” will be re-launched as a forum featuring blog posts and videos created by TODAYS experts who will share their personal insights and tips with “all who would see and hear.”  Want to further establish your street cred in the sales/ biz development arena?  Contact CB3 at chris@chrisbell3rd.com  to introduce yourself and schedule a brief interview to discuss sharing your expertise with our peers in this new forum launching in February 2013!

Continue Reading

Great, Old Players

This week I was casually listening to a “seasoned” sales executive reminisce about the “good old days”… when he knew he was top dog because he was receiving a sales order order by this new courier called Federal Express. Then I went home and as I was sitting in my basement home office, I gazed at a bookshelf containing over one hundred plus sales & business-related books I’d bought, read, or acquired in the last 12 years and then it hit me: (besides spending too much money) much of what I’ve read and the counsel proposed in many of these may be obsolete today. The game has changed and many of the best old players… couldn’t compete and win in today’s hyper-competitive technology sales arenas.

What Happened?  Nothing really. Ever since mankind stood on two legs, somebody has been selling and not many people esteemed those in the profession. In fact, I’d describe society’s perspective regarding sales people as being one of  strained tolerance. That was yesterday. Today’s prospective buyers don’t have to take it anymore. They can do a Google or Wikipedia search and at the click of a mouse secure information that used be only available via a sales rep; they’ll research their options and get referrals about how you’ve treated your customers by reading their blog posts; they’ll communicate with like-minded buyers via twitter, and before they’ve even meet a salesperson face-to-face, it’s likely they’ll read the salespersons LinkedIn profile to validate their professionalism and character thru common connections. The net: Potential customers have more leverage and there’s more transparency in the buyer-seller relationship in a game that’s been evolving for years.

Why? Frankly, potential buyers have been frustrated or angry for years and they should be! For them, today’s revenge is sweet as the tables have turned on those who for decades have advocated “anything goes” to do business. Billions of dollars have been spent teaching sales people how to close deals and build careers vs. solving real business problems, and many traditional sales tactics and strategies are adversarial or manipulative processes (and everybody knows it.) This old reality resulted in the implementation of buyers deploying defensive, dysfunctional buying processes that have made it extremely difficult for those sales professionals who are operating on a platform of integrity and presenting excellent products to be successful. In fact, I don’t know a single sales professional who during sometime in their career, hasn’t exercised their training only to reach the crossroads of a moral decision to either knowingly do the wrong deal because of their management’s quota pressure, or walk away from it with their integrity intact and a termination notice in-hand.

The Old-New Reality: We all know that there always have been, and always will be deal-whores and hustlers without a moral compass. But today’s access to information and the exercise of social media for business empowers and informs potential buyers as never before to quickly ascertain who is authentic and whats hype. The winners? Sales and marketing organizations leveraging the latest tools who have established a corporate culture of selling with integrity for the purpose of developing mutually beneficial collaborative business relationships with their customers.  The result: good sales professionals will actually be able to afford to do the morally right thing. It’s about time.

Win,

-Chris

Continue Reading

My name is Christopher Bell, III and I’ve spent more than a few years successfully generating new sales revenues in both information technology and biotechnology software sales arenas as an individual contributor, sales executive, and coach to more than a few six-figure sales producers.  But along the way, I’ve been perplexed by the callous brutality of some of some senior sales executives who prematurely terminate their sales athletes out of frustration, with little warning or opportunity to honestly remedy or ascertain the root cause of poor sales performance problems. Worse, a few have privately confessed (after summoning the courage to exercise introspective due diligence) that the primary culprit for failing to hit revenue goals …was looking back at them in the mirror.

“Call high!” Great… Now what is a rep supposed to say and do when they get to the executive suite, AND is it enough to be invited back? “You need to make more calls” is a common sales management cliché and default cop-out for some execs who aren’t able to successfully address complex sales and marketing collaboration deficiencies. So, how do you evaluate sales effectiveness BEFORE deals are forecasted or before the competency of your sales management and leadership is questioned? Obsolescence in the sales profession is quite real and the velocity towards the cliff of irrelevance is accelerating. The net: What got you here… isn’t enough to keep you here. Is your sales team struggling because of organizational systemic failure and obsolete processes, protocols and tools you’ve put in place; OR are they lacking the evolving sales skills and a personal sales coach  to help them win in a hyper-competitive business environment? Perhaps, it’s ALL OF THE ABOVE, but how do you know?

Call CB3 at 443-398-2230 or email dawn@chrisbell3rd.com to schedule an appointment with me to discuss a tune-up or remedy for your sales organization thru a One-on-One Personal Sales Coaching Program designed for sales athletes, and our consulting services developed to optimize your existing sales processes & tools necessary to improve sales forecast reliability. Nobody knows it all. Let us help you take your technology sales organization to the next level… and win!

VIDEO – A CB3 COMPLEX SALES PROCESS MAP

WHAT DO SALES REPS AND EXECUTIVES HAVE TO SAY?

“… a sales professional that you want on your team, because if he is on your competitor’s team you will lose.” Carl Fijat, Business Development Manager, Cisco

“…an innovative problem solver and has an extensive understanding of the strategy it takes to move forward in a complex selling environment.” Cris Lull, VP Business Development & Sourcing, Optoro

“… a significant portion of my sales knowledge came from Chris, which helped shape my successful sales process today.”  David Michaels, Federal Account Manager, CLC Bio

Continue Reading

Howard County Economic Development Authority

Most of the entrepreneurs and small business owners we know work extraordinarily hard to transform their business vision into a reality but too few are provided with an opportunity to be recognized.

CB3 is both humbled and proud to be featured in this recent Howard County Economic Development Success story:  http://www.hceda.org/grow-a-business/success-stories/chris-bell-3rd.aspx.

We are grateful to our family, friends, the Howard County Maryland business community, and our global clientele and their customers for their continued confidence, trust, and support.

Thank you!!!!

Continue Reading

The Technology Sales Arena is where the elite of the sales profession compete to deliver solutions that transform and improve businesses and governments and they are commonly rewarded with six-figure annual income opportunities. Most are professionals… not peddlers. So how does one begin or transition their career into technology sales?  Here’s an update of some tips I recently discussed with a group last week, that I initially authored and posted a few years ago.

1. Avoid going in thru the front door via human resources. Traditional hiring processes are exclusionary, meaning they’re designed to keep people out. HR personnel can only say “No” they can’t say “Yes” to a potential hire. Leverage HR after you’ve connected with the hiring manager. If you can’t connect with a real decision-maker to personally present your value, then you’re not ready for a technology sales career transition. The best senior sales executives in the competitive and lucrative tech sales business are hunting for candidates with equal measures of competency, professionalism, and tenacity.

2. Talk with people in the niche you wish to work to ascertain what’s hot, relevant, and what’s keeping those in the know up at night. Read their blogs, attend their virtual webinars and follow subject matter experts on social media networks. There is a strong connection that can be developed by discussing the highlights of another person’s interests and having insight into their subject matter expertise.

3. Do your homework. Study a lot. Read trade periodicals to become familiar with the general language and buzz words of a specific technical field of interest; Download white papers and brochures; Go undercover “Geek” and attend free Meetups and conferences to become familiar with local industry influencers, experts, and icons.

4. Leverage LinkedIn and social media platforms. Follow a few companies you’d really want to work with and aggregate compelling info and job postings to understand their business priorities. If they’re publicly listed, dial into their quarterly call, and read their 10-k. These activities will detail the latest news, opportunities, wins, and concerns of the company.

5. When contacting a decision-maker ask them for their help and advice (everyone wants to help someone.) Get to know their executive assistant or secretary and ask them to setup an informal 20-minute introduction at their local coffee shop before business hours, or setup an invitation for a quick sandwich and informal lunch at a local deli.

6. To schedule a meeting you should be prepared to restate some of the quotes in public documents, discuss recent news from their press releases, or paraphrase statements made on the company’s quarterly report. Always leave the person you’re speaking with the impression you know as much or more about their company, than they do!

7. Memorize the salient points of a company’s summary product brochure or website word-for-word so that by the time you get a face-to-face meeting, the person you’re meeting can visualize you as fellow colleague or employee.

8. Success in sales is about your track record. Winners want to be around winners and winning (like losing) is a habit. Always be prepared to be your own best advocate by sharing where have you won before in life and in your career. Be quick to give kudos to those who helped you to achieve #1 status in previous endeavors. Humility and gratitude will empower you to ask: “If you were in my shoes, what would be your next best step?”

9. Present a professional business card. The best tips and insights I’ve ever heard regarding the development and use of business cards were offered by an associate of mine, Steve Fisher in a presentation he did entitled: 10 Rules for Killer Business Cards. http://www.slideshare.net/stevenfisher/10-rules-for-killer-business-cards-slideshare

10. On employee skills testing – “there will never be, and there has never been a test that can prove the heart of winner” – Art Williams. Don’t be intimidated by the technology verbiage, acronyms, and the “geek factor” you will undoubtedly encounter. Most disciplines and specialties are intentionally, superficially, and deceptively presented as being complex to enhance the reputations and certifications of their practitioners. The net: This stuff isn’t that hard. You’ll get training and your focus will be on solving business problems.

Win,

Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

Remember that kid back in grade school who used to bully and extort other kids to get their lunch money or favorite treats?  It seems that in technology sales, the same juvenile antics are being played out again amongst educated, highly trained, generally confident adults who happen to be in sales roles. Are reps willing to fight for their deals?  I was recently doing an audit for a sales executive who wanted to know “Why are so many of our qualified opportunities mysteriously stalling or evaporating from our sales pipeline and revenue forecast?”

Over the next few weeks I quietly uncovered the issue:  While all  the sales reps knew their products and even their competition quite well, they had unknowingly or unconsciously allowed themselves to be subtly lulled into complacency or bullied and intimidated by: their prospects flawed buying processes, a competitors new marketing campaign or product release, or the unethical antics of their competitors. Why? Some weren’t trained to take action to aggressively respond to potential deal-breakers. Others were hiding behind their computer monitors – as there’s very little emotional investment made in virtual interactions. Others were unnerved by negative innuendo,  feared future non- buying threats and reprisals, and almost all avoided difficult or potentially contentious conversations for fear of rejection. (I know what you’re thinking: “Fear of rejection as an issue for a sales rep?”) Yup, especially when sales people aren’t hired by executives with sales experience but that’s a separate issue.

Fast forward in time: We’re no longer in the 4th grade and if there’s ever a time to fight for a deal and your business… it’s now. “Show & Tell” sales processes and activities have their place, but on occasion a sales rep is going to encounter a bully. While nobody’s lunch money is on the line anymore,  your company’s capitol investments and the future employment status of  you and your colleagues could take a hit.  Look at it this way:  Someone is taking the down-payment and mortgage money for your dream home right out of your  bank account because a rep chose to not to fight; Someone is attempting take away the choices as to where you vacation, where your kids go to school, what you can afford to drive, the quality of your retirement… and more.

So, now that you know…what are you going to do about it?

Continue Reading

A business associate and I arrived at the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship in Columbia, Maryland this morning with our coffee in-hand feeling a bit sleep deprived, (which isn’t unusual for most entrepreneurs) because we pulled an all-nighter planning, checking, and double-checking the schedule and quality of our client’s project deliverables. We both agreed: “We’re at capacity – It’s time to bring on more people… we’ve got to scale up.” 

A few hours later I dragged myself home and realized that I hadn’t watched or listened to the news in a few days and when I did… I couldn’t relate to the gloom & doom, or the depressing economic forecasts that the talking heads and financial experts were broadcasting as their pronouncements were foreign to where I am today. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not naïve nor am I one of the bourgeoisie. I know some extraordinary people who are going through hell on a day-to-day basis looking for employment. I also know what it’s like to be suddenly laid off from a decent paying job, with 2 kids in college at the same time, and accepting a part-time job to clean toilets and mop floors in a local office building as a janitor very late at night (so I wouldn’t risk the embarrassment of being seen by my friends or neighbors with a mop and a bucket.) But that experience INSPIRED me, humbled me, and shook me out of my complacency and acceptance of the status quo.

So for my nearly-broke, unemployed, desperate compatriots out there who are trying to hold it together for their children and their families who are praying for a break… I’ve been there and hope this may help: Turn off the TV and stop paying attention to the unemployment numbers as they have nothing to do with your destiny. Control your environment, break the cycle of negative communication and start thinking BIG. Have you ever thought about launching your own small biz?  Learn new skills NOW; begin connecting with other entrepreneurs, get out of your comfort zone, build a network of potential clientele, become a student of business, and put yourself in a position to discern and take on business opportunities that may transform your life and elevate your legacy.  The net: you’re not a loser and where you are today has nothing to do with your destination. Moreover, the most important people in your life, you may not even know yet so prepare yourself and…

Persevere,

Chris Bell 3rd

Continue Reading

 It’s no secret that the sales training industry is a billion dollar business and many of us are its beneficiaries. The question is, who’s preparing and protecting the businesses and consumers who are doing the buying? I LOVE the sales profession and enjoy working with PROFESSIONALS – people committed to a standard of excellence and ethics in the profession who will walk away from a deal when it’s not a fit. But my peers and I become infuriated when we think about the “peddlers” – the imitators and amateurs that have given our profession a bad reputation and disrupted business across the globe. Countless businesses and consumers have been harmed by the manipulative tactics of poorly trained, unethical, non-professional peddlers posing as sales professionals and the chasm of distrust that exists between sales people and their prospective buyers… couldn’t be wider than it is today. The result: everyone ends up paying a “Pinocchio Tax.”

So, what is this so-called “Pinocchio Tax?”  Here’s an example: “After checking customer references, an intelligent, highly-educated business executive purchases an enterprise solution for their company from a lying, manipulative peddler, who is under pressure “to close.”  (By the way, what fool would share a bad reference anyway?)  Shortly thereafter it becomes clear that there are “issues” with implementing the newly purchased solution. The result: Buyers don’t trust themselves and HATE sales because…

• The credibility and competency (and career) of the decision-maker is brought into question.
• Additional consulting professional services may have to be contracted to make things work and quite often higher prices are passed on to consumers to cover business losses.
• Buyers don’t trust themselves so they form evaluation & selection committees who often don’t know as much as a single qualified subject matter expert who has abdicated the influence of their expertise, influence, and authority, for fear of failure.
• Projects become longer, more susceptible to failure, and more expensive to manage resulting in elongated buying cycles that cause vendor sales forecasts to fluctuate wildly, seemingly without cause.
• The best sales professionals in the business are often forced into “rebound sales & buying relationships” and are held hostage to new flawed buying processes and expectations because buyers remain traumatized by a previous buying relationship. Buyers never really give the best a fair shot at delivering their best.

In the end… this Pinocchio Tax hits most businesses, organizations, and the legitimate sales professionals who are working to improve their businesses and households. The But I Hate Sales™ seminars and products are being launched to empower businesses and consumers preparing for sales engagements. Legitimate sales professionals will be delighted because now, your buyers will know who you are and will prefer to do business with you. It’s about time.

This post was originally published from the “But I Hate Sales™ website.

Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

Closing Ceremonies 2012 London Olympics

Now that the closing ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympics are over and the world have had a chance to see the best athletes in the world, one of the questions I asked as a technology sales athlete was: “What did we see and hear that can be applied to enhance our performance AND make a difference in our profession?”

Both Olympians and sales athletes struggle with the demands of daily living, rejection, competition, and family matters but sales athletes also wade thru frigid buying cycles driven by global fiscal constraint, and a more knowledgeable and informed buyer. So, how can you keep winning in the technology sales profession for 5, 10, 15, or even 20+ years and still LOVE what you do? Here are 6 observations and tips from world-class Olympic competitors that might help:

• Technology matters. Just because you sell technology products and services doesn’t mean you’re competent using them to become a more effective professional.  The velocity of change requires top competitors to leverage the latest tools and techniques to prepare, train, and win in a hyper-competitive niche.
• Win today or find yourself sitting in the crowd watching others achieve your dream. Winning is habitual… and so is losing. Whatever you do once, your mind validates it as a possibility. Win and you can win again.
• Schedule your rest like you schedule your work.  Reject the “always-on” trend. Without sufficient rest & recovery your performance will suffer.
• Get a coach. If a world-class, gold-medal Olympian has coach, why wouldn’t a sales athlete?
• Specialize. Just because you run a great 100 meters, is no guarantee you’ll finish a marathon. The internet can make anyone a generalist in a few days. Become an expert and others will call on you when they reach their limits.
• Give Back. Few can understand the unique psyche, passion, focus, training methods, and intensity of a champion… except other champions, their closest competitors, and the ones who loved them before they were successful. Share what you know with a few select, disciplined, and dedicated professionals who will commit to do the same when they win.

Win!

Chrs

Continue Reading

Last month, I invited a few of my peers – a highly respected entrepreneur, a sales professional, and a business development expert to my office in Ellicott City, MD to participate in a Business Development Collaborative Initiative (BDCI) I started with IGLOO Software in Ontario, Canada. The purpose: to ascertain whether synergies exist amongst participants that could be leveraged for our mutual benefit.  The result: Two participating executives signed agreements and we’ll be working on driving business together.

Von Wright, MBA

A week later I was in Charlotte, NC invited to share and exchange ideas with several business executives and new MBA and PhD graduates regarding: the nuances of successfully launching and managing their own small businesses; the CB3 “But I Hate Sales™” Seminars being rolled out in September; and framing new initiatives that address the needs of the under-served.  Southern hospitality was at its best in Charlotte as I was a guest in the home of Von Wright, MBA – a highly motivated businessman (who happens to be a former Marine, former US Army Officer, an Airborne qualified logistics expert, and my Pershing Rifles fraternity brother) and his hostess wife whose awesome cooking is responsible for making me put on 5 lbs.

Lessons learned:  There’s power in transparency in YOUR personal story. While it’s necessary to use wisdom in the management or disclosure of your intellectual property, there’s no substitute for sharing and exchanging great ideas and real-world perspectives with ethical, highly motivated professionals with purpose.  Want to expand your network, be introduced into warm markets, and transform lives while being handsomely compensated? Stop trying to win alone. Take the time to share what you know and commit to “pushing up people” (a phrase made famous by the great Art Williams.)

Win,

Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

Most small business owners, entrepreneurs, and technology sales professionals expect to live pretty hectic, out of balance, and occasionally sleep-deprived lives for more than a few seasons as they transition from predictable industrial-age working hours to the state of “constant-on” where the word is out:  BEING AT WORK IS NO LONGER A PLACE, IT IS A STATE OF MIND.  As a result we don’t watch the clock in a way that most salaried employees do because for us… executing linear, non-revenue generating tasks and activities is an unrecoverable expense and TIME TRAP that doesn’t add equity to the bottom line of our businesses that we can leverage later. Nor does it put additional commissions into the wallets of most sales and business development professionals that’s sufficient to improve their lifestyles.

Here’s a little math that nets out the necessity and justification to avoid ONE TIME TRAP ACTIVITY (and most people have more than one.) Let’s assume you’re a technology sales rep and you earn $100k annually, which means your hourly wage is $48.08. If you spend 3 hours per day talking to unqualified people or doing activities that don’t put you in front of prospects who are ready, willing, and able to buy… it’s costing you $2,884 monthly or $34,617 annually. Over a 3-year period (the average on-the-job tenure of a technology sales rep) that nets out to be a $103,851 top-line, cold-cash loss. The opportunity loss (because you’re not using that TIME to focus on activities most likely to convert to real revenue)… is incalculable. Disturbed yet? I hope so.

Change & Win,
Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

If you’re fortunate enough to have a team pumping out a few high-quality leads (like the inside sales crew at IGLOO Software to supplement your own activity) you feel super-loved and supported but under no illusion… you know that’s how they’re compensated.

When sales professionals have significant business opportunity engagements in the technology space,  they’re also introduced to enough economic buyers (EBs) in the normal course of  regular qualification and discovery processes that enable them to begin handing out really good, qualified leads to colleagues and peers working with other organizations – as long as it’s clear their products and solutions aren’t a fit, and there’s no competition for the same budget.  Unfortunately, it’s also quite likely they’ll receive a generic token of appreciation from the recipient of the lead that sounds like this:

 “Oh, thank you so much! We really have to get together sometime for dinner or maybe hit the links – I’ll call you!”  Even if the bearer of good news doesn’t say it, they’re thinking: “you’re kiddin’ me, right?  I just passed you a fat, actionable lead that’s going to  keep your insecure butt out of the fire for another 90 days or that may change your life, and you just pitched me the superficial oh-we-really-do-have-to-get-together-sometime” rap?

Me? I’m of the opinion that the “let’s do dinner” response is obsolete and that we should all press “reset”, start over, and think again about this aspect our professional interactions.

Instead of offering me dinners and golf outings that you know will never materialize, why not just make it a priority to reciprocate by returning the favor received by giving a qualified lead, in exchange for a really good qualified lead.  It’s the “golden rule:” do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In the process you replicate yourself and put another set of feet, eyes, ears, and an advocate into companies and places you don’t have access to… yet.

Want to take your sales initiatives to a higher level? Give away qualified leads, set reciprocity as a condition for lead-giving and then watch both you AND your peers income increase.  Dinner?  Thanks, but my wife called – “Big Daddy’s” going home to a feast of lovin’.

Rain check?

-Chris Bell

Continue Reading

Two years ago I was reading thru some of my old journal entries and one theme I’d consistently stumbled across in my professional life was that most of the people whom I knew, loved, and respected … hated sales (and avoided sales people in general.) In fact, most didn’t want to be associated with selling anything, or they were envious of sales people (“My God do you know how much money he made for one deal?”) Others were terrified at the thought of being perceived as a “salesperson.”

Then it hit me – while companies are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars annually into sales training, who is training non-sales professionals who are doing the buying? Why is selling and buying so hard? What has been the impact of this in-congruence on businesses and families? Why not change the game? So I did… and began creating the But I Hate Sales™ Series of seminars and products with the inaugural seminar taking place on Thursday September 13that the Columbia Hilton in Columbia, Maryland.  Welcome to But I Hate Sales™

Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

I recently received a call from a colleague whom I’ve sold with and coached regularly. He was sending me his sales plan and recent revenue numbers for us to discuss together.  With a new job and in his first quarter with a new employer, one of the best revenue producers I’d known found himself bearing witness to the atrophy of his initial revenue forecast commitment.  The Result:  embarrassment, frustration and disgust at the thought of being at the bottom of a sales leader board. (Note – this was also a déjà vu moment for me.)

After listening to 10-minutes of venting, I asked: “Are you finished yet?”  He laughed when realizing his Type-A, hyper-competitive personality was both an asset and a curse… if it wasn’t kept in check. This scenario also provoked me to spend time in introspection as I asked myself “Do I sound like that too?”

Here are the Top 5 Actions we agreed to implement to change the view from the bottom of the leader board.

 Take a humility pill: step away from the ledge, and don’t jump!  You’re good – not God.  The view from the bottom is usually temporary and in transitional scenarios such as this, finger-pointing can be dangerous and self-condemnation is premature.  Share your perspectives with a supportive manager and winners on the team to leverage their experience for guidance.

Practice a Flawless Opening:  It’s true – first impressions count.  Be prepared and be certain you have articulated or presented clear, concise, and compelling business reasons for them to remain engaged with you… again. An acceptance for a meeting invitation is nothing. The question is, are you being invited back?

Think Big, Be Big: You’ll work just as hard for a $5,000 deal as you will a $50,000 deal… and won’t achieve your quota objectives. Re-prioritize your focus to invest 80% of your the time and energy doing those things that matters most, with contacts who are ready, willing, and able to buy.  Delegate non-revenue generating activities and engage in those activities that will make a BIG difference quickly.

Network with your peers & recruit new partners:  This company’s largest previous deal came from a lead which was supplied by a partner. Replicate success and recruit other partners who have ongoing access to the hottest projects, understand the latest trends and have executive-level access to the clients you want to do business with.

 Up-sell Existing Customers & Revisit Lost Deals: The fastest path to new revenue has always been thru an existing customer. Initiate account reviews to ascertain what’s changed, discuss new capabilities and ask for referrals.

Win,

Chris Bel, III

Continue Reading

If you’re in the sales/business development game you’ve already figured this out: You can do anything, but you can’t do everything. Here are 5 tips that may enhance your effectiveness and productivity:

Avoid Going Alone:  An “A” quality demo expert + an “A” quality business/sales expert = an “A quality” buying and sales experience for all parties.  The result: Bigger deals and better forecasts.  Demo experts can concentrate on delivering the best “Wow” moments and connect technical features with real prospect challenges or requirements. Business/sales people can strategically optimize every minute of a demo or proof encounter to note, nurture, and enhance business dynamics. Just as importantly, there’s no substitute for a 2-party post-demo debriefing. Everyone gets better.

 Take a Humility Pill:  Don’t always answer.  Where a prospect asks a question, find a way for someone else to get credit for the response to accelerate the speed of trust and reduce perceptions of risk in your engagement by introducing a SME.  Promote others.

 Delegate:   Maybe you can do it all. Great! Now let’s assume you have an annual 6-figure income and at a minimum you earn $50 per hour to engage in customer-facing, revenue generating activities.   Appointment-setting, CRM administration, cold-calling, social media activities, etc… are all absolutely necessary, but at $50 per hour?  Probably not.  Secure a virtual assistant at $10 to $15 per hour to put thousands of dollars of productivity values back in your wallet, and to provide a foundation of focused intensity back in your day allowing you to prioritize those prospects that appear ready, willing, and able to buy.

 Recognize Systemic Failure and Adapt:  One can keep doing what they’re doing and claim “I was just following orders” without regard to the results OR one can look at how their personal numbers are trending AND adapt. Some things take time to develop, but if existing systems and processes aren’t working for you, don’t complain. Personally develop your own “smarketing” (or corrective sales + marketing activities) where both marketing and sales outcomes are below mutual expectations.  Share the facts with management and get creative with your marketing organization.

 Collaborate: interact with a few trusted colleagues and peers outside of your sales organization. Fresh eyes can often see what you can’t while also providing excellent counsel along the way. Just as importantly, you may be able to recruit your peers to bird-dog and pre-qualify opportunities for you!  At CB3, we welcome the opportunity to share ideas, leads, and… revenue splits for closed deals.

Win,

Chris Bell III

Continue Reading

As the founder of the company, over the last day or so, I received a few inquiries and notes of congratulations (and even one warning) about CB3’s transformation from “solopreneurship” but the most common question was: “How did you do it?”

Answer: “I” didn’t do it, and my experience is that few people actually make it on their own.  I’ve had access to a phenomenal supporting cast of extraordinarily talented people and professionals who have patiently and unselfishly poured themselves into my development, and whom I’ve personally won with in business.  Along the way, I’ve become humbled by their generosity, grateful for the opportunities presented, and carried by my faith.  With these assets, it’s easy to be inspired.

Win,

ChrisBell3rd

Continue Reading

We’ve been REALLY busy.  Yes, I did say “we.” At CB3 (or for the more formally inclined, ChrisBell3rd & Company LLC) we’ve done more than just a little re-branding in the last 120 days. Here’s what I mean…

We’ve always understood that complimentary synergies exist between our executive clients, our peers in the business development technology arena, and our potential customers.  In response, CB3 has developed four new service offerings for executives of small technology companies and start-ups; Our peers are already talking about “The Razor’s Edge” – a digital destination where business development (sales, marketing) subject matter experts will be sharing insights to improve performance; and we’re delighted to be able to educate a community of future buyers and consumers in our upcoming “But I Hate Sales™” Seminars.  But there’s more! We now share office space in the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship, which makes it immensely easier to do local business.  But MOST IMPORTANTLY,  we’ve evolved from solo-preneurship by adding a small, highly motivated TEAM of talented professionals to help optimize all business interactions (and yes… we remain on the hunt for exceptional talent.)

What’s next?  Subscribe to this page to hear about our upcoming Razor’s Edge featured guests; watch for the posting of the new “But I Hate Sales™ ” schedule; and for the next 30 days, read the daily, public “shout-outs” of gratitude and thanks to individuals or companies who have helped to make our transition possible.

Subscribe to this Conversations page… and don’t miss out!

Win,

Christopher Bell, III

Continue Reading

At ChrisBell3rd & Company, LLC (also known as CB3) these are REALLY exciting times! A little more than two years ago, I started the company as a Solopreneur with only $395 after being laid off. The following year I was recognized as a Winner, in a 2010  $25,000 Entrepreneurs Challenge.

Today, in less than three years we’ve been able to expand our services, maintained several long-term partnership agreements, closed multi-million dollar contracts for our clients, moving into shared office space, and have become established as trusted advisors to CEOs and executives across the globe with an exemplary track record for performance. The net: we’re growing as a company, adding great professionals to our team, and we believe it’s a perfect time to TUNE-UP and:

• Initiate a WEBSITE MAKEOVER
• REBRAND the company
• Introduce an impressive NEW BUSINESS VIDEO DESTINATION
• Present our NEW SERVICES
• Leverage EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCES
• SUPPORT others in our COMMUNITY

Come back and visit us soon and keep up with activities related to our business re-launch here to…

Win!!!!!

-Chris Bell III

chris@chrisbell3rd.com

Telephone: 443.718.0977

Continue Reading