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

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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

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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

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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#

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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

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Although I do my own writing and blogging, I felt it was time to offer my readership access to diverse perspectives which may enhance their own businesses and careers. As such, I’m pleased to post my first GUEST ARTICLE: How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo by Richard Greenwald. For those of us who are new to running a small consultancy or for those who are thinking about launching out on their own, this article offers some great tips.

Dr. Greenwald is a professor and dean of the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies at Drew University in Madison, N.J. He can be reached at reports@wsj.com

Win,

Chris Bell

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I started delivering outsourced�software sales services, on a retainer-plus-commission basis 5 months ago in July 2009 and after a key business win, I formally launched ChrisBell3rd & Companyin October 2009. The result was a strong business launch enabled by the support and encouragement of some great business people. To that end, I want to extend a special note of thanks and best wishes for the New Year to some of the people I collaborate with to include:

Vanessa, my awesome spouse and partner: thank you for the years of love, patience, support, and self-sacrifice. You inspire me.

Michael, Nii, and the team at TeraTech – You guys are amongst the best custom software developers on the planet! Thanks for allowing me to help drive your sales efforts.

Richard and the Discovery Communications development team if it weren’t for the recommendation you received via Twitter who knows. You guys consummated my first business agreement for my first very client, and in doing so guaranteed the successful launch of my business. I look forward to collaborating with you through 2010!

Phillip at ARINC  ours was the smoothest business I’ve ever transacted. Thank you!

Mustafa, atUntra TechnologiesThank you for introducing me to Ozgur, at BlueNet Technologies -we’re off to a great start!

Terri, at Creative Blog Solutions  – Thanks for lending your professional counsel and social media marketing expertise. You and your support team are awesome!

Mike, at SmickWorks  - dude, thanks for helping to get my website off the ground. I’ll try to keep the referrals coming!

Again, thank you and best wishes for an outstanding 2010!!!

Chris Bell

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Yes, I did it. I’m a recent Blackberry-to-iPhone convert. The transition has been both exhilarating and disappointing. Make no mistake. I loved using my BlackBerry and though my 30-day iPhone 3GS trial is over I do find comfort in knowing that using a BB device was a smart personal and business decision… two years ago.

So what happened? Why move from a decent wireless provider and mobile device that’s been historically reliable and transition to “The Darkside?”  While not proper, I’ll answer in the interrogatory:        “Have you actually used both a BlackBerry and an iPhone?”   

Justification for the iPhone 3GS:

1. Cost  The day I switched to an iPhone I started saving money. While AT&T and VerizonWireless devices and calling plans are pretty similar on paper, the additional fees necessary to make the VerizonWireless Blackberry compatible for my business use weren’t tolerable. For instance, Blackberry Exchange Server (BES) support thru a 3^rd-party provider was an additional $38 per month, and VerizonWireless charged $60 per month fee for accessing the RIM service. With my iPhone, Exchange Server support is $3.00 per month, and I now pay a $30 per month AT&T data access fee.
2. Rollover minutes  From month to month, I never used all of the allotted minutes in my VerizonWireless calling plan and any unused minutes were credited back to my carrier… not too me.
3. Poor In-store customer service  after enduring 8 years of VerizonWireless in-store attitudes of arrogance and long lines, I broke beneath the torture I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had a business account and yet, no one treated me as if I’m running a business! I’m spending almost $200 a month (or approximately $20,000 over the last 8 years.) Moreover, my individual lifetime value as a VerizonWireless customer exceeded $120,000 and should I add on other employees or family members who use the same services. I’m a $1M customer!!! (No wonderthere are so many mobile phone vendor booths setup at the mall.)
4. Applications  For months I’ve sat in airports, trains, seminars, and in social gatherings watching people move their fingers across the face of their iPhone devices and I became curious: What the heck can an iPhone do that I can’t do with my BB device?  So I asked a business colleague to give me a personal demo and he chuckled and asked “are you sure you can handle it?”  (I hate sarcasm) but after the 15-minutes zipping thru his iPhone apps and basic device functionality, I was blown away. The phone worked as expected, but it was the easy-to-read screen, logical layout, and several cool apps for just about anything you can imagine that made a big impression. In the end, I came away from the encounter feeling uncomfortable. Why? I had just experienced a demo that upset my sense of intellectual confidence and knowledge. Certainly, I couldn’t have been wrong about paying so much for so long for my Blackberry when other less-expensive and functionally better options were available?  (Answer: Yes, dumb-a@# you’d blown it.) Today, I’m soooo pleased with my transition I can barely stand it. But remember, where there’s green grass… there’s dirt underneath.

Warnings & Trade-offs in the Transition

1. You will miss your trackball and the feel of the BB keys and buttons. Entering characters into the iPhone will initially be much slower and take some getting used to. Just as importantly, I became so comfortable with my BB keypad that I could text or write emails without looking at the screen. Those days are over with the iPhone 3GS virtual keyboard.
2. 3G Network – The VerizonWireless commercial pertaining to the size of their 3G Network is true. However, with my previous service I wasnt able to receive or make calls from my basement home-office. So far, my AT&T iPhone 3G reception at in my basement office is awesome and my calls are clear everywhere Ive been. However, I’m quite certain that there may be some local Washington DC-Baltimore metro locations where the service won’t be great and I must admit I have some anxiety about finding out where there when I need to make or receive an important call.)
3. iPhone Durability  -These devices aren’t built ruggedly and one cannot buy an insurance plan for the iPhone device that covers damage to the large screen. So, the 1^st thing you’ll want to do is to purchase a screen protector AND a protective case/sleeve to insulate your device from the inevitable drop. This issue alone was almost a show-stopper for me.
4. Battery Life  My Blackberry sipped power for all-day usage and if I was remote to power, I’d simply drop in a pre-charged spare battery. The iPhone battery can’t be swapped out, and my iPhone 3GS guzzles battery power. In fact, I took it into the Apple Store to have it examined and the tech rep said “this is normal use sir.” It seems the biggest battery resource hog is the large LCD touch screen. The iPhone specs state 10 hours of battery usage, but my experience has been it lasts about 7 depending upon talk-time. So it may be wise to keep your charger close-by, or as a precaution when driving, get in the habit of keeping it plugged in to the car charger (accessory) to ensure it’ll be available when you need it.

In the end, whatever your choice, both the BlackBerry and iPhone 3GS will probably address most business needs and with the introduction of other devices (like the Droid) you’re certain to have your basic wireless mobile device and service requirements addressed. Inevitably we all struggle to find the facts that support our emotional buying decisions… it’s just that I admit it.

Your comments and questions are welcome!

-Christopher Bell, III

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What recession? In the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, my recent (though brief) experience is that the volume of high-quality business development and technology sales opportunities exceeds the number of Outsourced Sales Professionals (OSPs) that are available to service those companies and opportunities. For OSPs with a solid-value proposition and a track record for performance, business is really good right now. Why?

In times of fiscal constraint, companies are always seeking ways to increase productivity and sales revenue while concurrently reducing their costs. A recent BusinessWeek blog post entitled “A New Wrinkle on Outsourcing” provides an interesting perspective on the use of Outsourced Sales Professionls (OSPs) in technology sales. Here’s the net: Executives and managers in the technology space are beginning to get it – OSPs can bring a level of consistency and best practices to the job that’s difficult to achieve with an in-house sales staff.

If you’re a sales executive or business owner it’s probably time to look into leveraging OSPs – your competition certainly is.

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