2015/10/28

The SIMPLE Guide to Startup Sales from Rod Sloane @campuslondon


Today I was at @campuslondon and just happened to attend an event on sales for startups. The event was held by Rod Sloane. Rod is also offering webinars in November about how to create effective marketing email messaging.

Rod's technique suggests following some steps based on a SIMPLE acronym.
  • Speak: take opportunities to present and speak at events. It will help boost your confidence and leads.
  • Idea: Articulate your idea in terms of what your prospective customer wants, not necessarily what they need.
  • Marketing: Effective marketing should be driving leads which are aligned with your sales strategy.
  • Predictable Revenue: Buy it, read, apply, rinse and repeat.
  • Listen: Take a course on listening, it is the top skill for sales, when you are cold calling and someone says "if I had £10k to spend I wouldn't spend it on you" ask what they would spend it on.
  • Email: Use linked in and tools like SalesLoft t build a list which you use to send personalised emails. If you are sending a lot of emails check out yet another mail merge

Tips: 
* Send emails to SME CEO on Sunday between 5 and 7 pm.
* Start with a simple message, shorter is better like "are you looking for a new website".
* Always follow up on the dates you suggest. Insightly can help.
* It can take 27 approaches to buy a product. Think about sending 8 emails with different content targeting issues and challenges.
* One way to open a sales call is to say "This is a sales call" to see if they want to hang up.
* If in doubt use the one page marketing plan template.
* JFDI


2015/10/25

Shopping Trip to Durham



For the last few weekends I have been visiting Durham to do a bit of shopping. It has been a long time since I spent much time in the city other than just passing through. A few things have really changed and I am glad to say that the city seems to have really developed.

In case you don't know, Durham has some beautiful scenery, castles, cathedrals and a lot of fun little cobbled streets, an ancient market and the almost legendary stoicism of the locals trotting around in practically no clothes on a freezing cold winter night.

Lads and lasses of the north, I salute your ability to endure any weather in a T-shirt.