Good Practices for CRM

Wish You Could Telecommute?

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:48:00 GMT

There is a downside.

If you are like me, there are mornings when you wish more than anything that you worked out of the comfort of your own home. It's not that I don't like my co-workers, I really do, but when the weather is bad or I'm running late I think it would be so much easier to stay home. I found an article published by CIO Magazine online about the downside of telecommuting. Many of the points are trivial and I don't think it would it dissuade anyone from working at home, but it is a fun article and brings up some good points. You can read the article here... Enjoy!

I know there are many of you that are SalesLogix remote users or use the Web client to work from home and if you would like to share your experience with telecommuting please feel free to post you comments!

-Brianna

Negotiate With Skill

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:53:00 GMT

Don't argue over price.

How many of you have argued over price with your customer just as you were about to close a sale? I bet everyone in a sales position has had this experience. Not only does arguing over price prolong the close of your sale it can make an impact on the future of the relationship. Practicing your negotion skills and setting expectations from the beginning of your sales process can make closing the deal a smooth process. Check out these quick tips from Miller Heiman about negotiation.

(Note: This article will expire, if you are intersted read it soon!)

-Brianna

Identify And Hold On To Your Key Accounts

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:13:00 GMT

Not all customer departures produce the same affect.

Now, more than ever, it is important to hold onto key/strategic accounts. The investment you make in your customers can determine whether your organization sinks or swims, but there is only so much time in a day. You probably have a good idea of some of your top customers but have you identified all of them? It would be a good idea if you did.

"A recent Miller Heiman poll indicated that the majority of responding sales professionals have lost an account within the past six months. But while all customers contribute to the bottom line, not all departures affect a company in the same way."

Read an article by Miller Heiman that offers some advice for determining your best customers, "Size or Strategy?"

(Note: This article expires, if you are interested read it soon.)

-Brianna

Successful Project Managers

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:07:00 GMT

6 Key Attributes.

Project management requires a varied skill set, and not everyone is equipped to effectively execute a project to the satisfaction of his/her customer. While there are many attributes that successful project managers should possess, I found an article published by CIO Magazine that highlights, "Six Attributes of Successful Project Managers."

"The best project managers are those who consistently deliver, on time and within budget, projects that meet or exceed stakeholders' expectations."

It's a good article, you should give it a read. Have a great week!

-Brianna

Leave A Good Voicemail

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:11:00 GMT

Strategies to increase your call back rate.

Leaving voicemails for customers/potential customers, that is something I'm sure everyone is familiar has done. I'm sure everyone has had the joy of not receiving a call back as well. Obviously there will be people who just won't call you back, it happens. However, there are ways to increase the chance that your phone will start ringing. Read the article from Miller Heiman, Get Your Calls Returned, to find out how.

(Note: This article expires, read it soon!)

-Brianna

What Drives Customer Experience?

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:19:00 GMT

A new study says value, not price.

I'm sure most of you have heard the official word - the United States has been in a recession since December 2007. This has many companies and consumers scrabbling, trying to figure out how to stay afloat. The question is - how are you going to continue to drive business? What steps are you taking? The initial reaction is to cut the price of products and layoff employees but this alone may not be the best course of action. Research from Customer Futures suggests that the best measure a company can take is to add value to the customer experience. If you buy an item at a reduced cost but you don't like it, you have still wasted money. If the process to get the item you want at the reduced price is unpleasant you might not purchase from that particular company and instead turn to a company that offers a pleasurable experience. Read the article, Value, Not Price, Drives Customer Experience, published by CRM Magazine for the full story.

-Brianna

Does CRM 2.0 Add Value?

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:59:00 GMT

Gartner Research thinks so.

At this point in time many companies give little thought to CRM 2.0, some don't know what it is - are you familiar with the term?

CRM 2.0 refers to social CRM and is a new way of thinking about CRM.

"...while traditional CRM solutions will continue to aggregate customer data, analyze that data, and automate workflows to optimize business processes, CRM professionals must find innovative new solutions to engage with emerging social consumers, enrich the customer experience through community-based interactions, and architect solutions that are flexible and foster strong intra-organization and customer collaboration."

This is where CRM is going and I encourage you to read the article from CRM Magazine, CRM 2.0 Is For Real.

-Brianna

Get Ahead

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:36:00 GMT

Times may be tough...

But you can still get ahead.

Today I read an article published by Business Week about how you can still advance your career in a recession. Sound impossible? Not always.

"In times like these, the default setting for many people goes something like this: I'm going to keep my head down, avoid drawing attention, and hope to be standing when the destruction passes. That's one strategy, for sure. But the hard times can also be an opportunity to advance one's career—or at least show the boss that you are worth hanging onto."

If you are interested in reading the article in its entirety you can do so here...

-Brianna

Sage and The Economy

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:29:00 GMT

Some info from Sage Summit '08.

As some of you may know, this week Sage held their annual customer conference - Sage Summit. While doing my usual reading I came across an article from CRM Magazine highlighting some of the topics discussed at Sage Summit. One point of discussion - the state of the economy. This is a major topic being discussed across the world and of course Sage had to address it as well. Sage also started a new tradition - customer awards. Interested in reading the entire article? You can do so here...

-Brianna

Asking The Tough Questions

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:27:00 GMT

Performing win/loss reviews.

Happy Friday!

We all love to win, especially when the win is closing a sale to an account. And while it may be more fun to focus on our wins then to reflect on our losses, finding out the reason you lost is an important exercise to undertake.

"More than half of sales professionals polled believe they lost because of a customer's issue with the price. On the other hand, they're also convinced that when they win, it's because customers appreciate the established relationship."

There is a problem with the line of thinking in the quote above, read the article Heads or Tails to find out why.

(Note: This article expires, if you are interested read it soon!)

-Brianna

Try, Try Again.

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:24:00 GMT

Traditional single touch marketing doesn't work as well as your other option.

If you are in marketing you are trying to dig up potential sales through your efforts. A traditional approach that many marketers take is the "one and done" approach. Translation: following up a direct mail or email campaign with one phone call and then move on. While this may produce a small quantity of leads it is possible to do better. A multitouch, multimedia approach can produce much better results -

"...campaigns that integrate multiple media and touch business prospects repeatedly. Multitouch builds familiarity with busy decision-makers and increases the potential of impacting him or her when the business need for a solution is high."

Do you want to read more? Check out the entire article published by CRM Magazine here...

-Brianna

5 Tips For Creating Great Customer Service

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:03:00 GMT

Get better at this important task!

I was reading Business Week when I came across a headline about how to create a great customer service experience. The article, "At Your Service", are ideas that were submitted to Business Week and the best ideas were chosen for a customer service tip sheet. I think that the ideas included in this article are great and are not necessarily ideas that we hear all of the time. If you would like to try different ways to improve your customer service I encourage to you read the 5 tips listed in the article.

-Brianna

Accentuate The Positive

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:53:00 GMT

Quick tip of the Day.

Happy election day for those of you living in the United States! The turn out is the largest I've seen - I waited in line for 1 1/2 hours this morning.

So, you are trying to make a sale. Times are tough and competition is fierce. What do you focus on during conversations with your potential customer? Hint - not you competition's faults. You may know that you have a better product, service, etc., but putting down the competition does not focus on what it is truely important. What your customer cares about the most is how you will address their needs. Read the article, "Three Phrases to Avoid", published by Miller Heiman for more insight.

(Note: This article expires, read it soon!)

-Brianna

Strengthen Your Presentations

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:17:00 GMT

By telling a story.

What is more interesting - a story or facts and figures? Unless the story is awful I am going to have to chose a story. Most people feel this way, so it is interesting that in business many people neglect to tell a story in their presentations. Stories are a wonderful way to connect with you audience on an emotional level and as long as your story is relevant it can give your presentation a boost. I read an article in Business Week about the subject of storytelling and I think that you should read it too! You can do so here...

Have a fantastic weekend!

-Brianna

How Is Your Marketing Budget?

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:30:00 GMT

Tough economy still hasn't touched many marketing budgets.

Today I read an article published in CRM Magazine that discusses how online marketing initiatives are helping many maintain their marketing budget, some are even increasing their budget!

"In fact, respondents report an overwhelming initiative to increase spending on online advertising mediums for the upcoming year: Email (84 percent plan to increase or maintain), Online Advertising (77 percent), Keyword Search Campaigns (76 percent), Social Media (62 percent), and Video Advertising (38 percent)."

This is a great article for people in a marketing position, you can read it here...

-Brianna

Who Has The Final Say?

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:50:00 GMT

The person may change depending on the situation.

If you are in the sales process it is important to identify who has the final say in the purchasing decision and ideally get him/her onboard with what you are proposing. Depending on the sale the person may change, so how can you identify the key player? I read a sales tip published by Miller Heiman that identifies 4 variables that may affect who controls the purse strings. Read the article, "Find The Floating Decision Maker".

(Note: This article expires, if you are interested read it soon!)

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!

-Brianna

How to Give and Receive Criticism

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:26:00 GMT

A few things to think about.

No matter how well you perform your job there are times when you will be criticized. You may also find yourself in a position where it is necessary to criticize the work of someone else. Criticism, when offered correctly, can be extremely beneficial, but only if you are open to receiving it. I can think of quite a few times in my life where constructive criticism has improved my performance.

Today I read an article in Business Week, "How to Give and Receive Criticism", that discusses what criticism is and is not, and the best ways to give and receive. It's a good article, give it a read.

Happy Friday!
-Brianna

Increase Quality Appointments

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:08:00 GMT

Quick Tip of The Day, Thursday October 9, 2008.

As you push to meet your quota before the year ends, how are you going to get more prospects in your funnel and schedule quality appointments? You will want to start by differentiating yourself from the competition and prove your credibility. How are you going to do this? I read a quick article published by Miller Heiman that will get you going in the right direction to meet your quota before year end. Read "A Sure Fire Way to Increase Quality Appointments".

(Note: This article expires, if you are interested please view it soon.)

-Brianna

Keep Your Funnel Full

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:27:00 GMT

Two great practices.

Today I read a couple sales performance tips that makes sense and are a great step in keeping your sales funnel full. They weren't complicated and are definitely something that ever sales person could do. Would you like to keep your funnel full? Read this article published by Miller Heiman - "Two Practices For One Great Outcome: Winning Results."

(Note: This article expires, if you're interested read it soon.)

Happy Wednesday!

-Brianna

Secure Resources

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:32:00 GMT

Quick Tip of Day, Friday September 19, 2008.

Not finanacial resources but just as valuable. Have you ever thought about harnessing resources within your organization when you are trying to close a sale? If you haven't you might want to consider doing so, and read this article published by Miller Heiman, "Fighting for Resources: Securing the Help You Need to Win".

(Note: This article expires. If you are interested check it out soon.)

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Brianna

Proactive Innovation

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:03:00 GMT

Break the rules to compete.

No, not anything underhanded, just buck traditional wisdom to put yourself ahead of the game.

Most of us have heard the sayings, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "Look before you leap", but sometimes this isn't the best advice. I read an article today in CRM Magazine that points out 9 different contrarian examples for differentiating customer service from the competition. Read "Break the Rules to Win Competition."

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Brianna

New Sales Hires

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Get them up to speed faster.

Bringing a new sales representative into a company or a position can be scary for both the new hire and the company. It can take a good deal of time to feel comfortable and confident performing job functions and this can have a negative impact on the bottom line. Just how long will it take for the new hire to be performing at the same level as his/her peers?

I found a great article published by Miller Heiman that focuses on quickly bringing new reps up to speed by using the point quota systems. Read the article here...

-Brianna

Customer Emotion

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:50:00 GMT

And customer service experience...

Being efficient is important and something I believe most all of us strive for everyday in our customer interactions. But while we are trying to be efficient we can often overlook an important factor - creating positive customer experiences. Efficiency and customer experience should go hand-in-hand, but it is much easier to be efficient than to measure customer experience.

"...the audience to list some of their best customer service experiences and how far back they date. Several admissions dated back six to eight years. Memory builds loyalty and loyalty allows for increased profit and premium costs."

I read an article published by CRM Magazine that I enjoyed and reminded me why creating a positive customer experience is just as important as being efficient. The article is a quick read - "Customer Emotion Management?". Enjoy!

-Brianna

Address Customers Key Issues

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:49:00 GMT

See their point of view.

Happy Friday, I hope all of you have had a fantastic week!

A common mistake at the end of the year is to try and push a sale through without having a thorough understanding of your customers key issues. It is easy to make this mistake when you are trying to meet your goals in a short amount of time, but don't!

I found a short article by Miller Heiman that focuses on the importance of know what it is that is bothering your customer before you push to close your sale. Something to think about. Read "Do You Know What Your Customers Want?".

-Brianna

Secure Future Appointments

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:17:00 GMT

Quick Tip of the Day

Identifying prospects and opportunities can be quite a task, but that is only one part of the formula. Once you identify your target how are you going to get your foot in the doo?. Good question.

I found a short article by Miller Heiman that outlines steps to take to get your prospect to want to speak to you! Read the article, "How to Get Solid Appointments: Pump Up Your Calendar".

(Note: This article expires. If you are interested check it out soon!)

-Brianna

Branding in an Age of Endless Choices

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:40:00 GMT

All about attaching an idea to a product or service.

I found a short, fun article about branding in an age where it can be difficult differentiate products due to the endless amount of choices. The article was published CRM Magazine and highlights a presentation Rob Walker gave at eTail East 2008. I enjoyed this article and I hope you do too! Read the article, "Consumers to Marketers: Get Real".

-Brianna

Involuntary Database Administrator?

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:59:00 GMT

Database Maintenance Tips

Have you been given the role of Database Administrator but you are not a professional DBA? I have found this to be a common situation, and if you answered yes you are not alone. When a person is put in the role of DBA when it is not his/her area of expertise troubles can arise, but effective database management can be learned. I found a wonderful article published by TechNet Magazine that offers top tips for effective database maintenance. There areas covered in this article are:

Data and log file management
Index Fragmentation
Statistics
Corruption detection
Backups

While this article is a generic overview of database maintenance, the areas covered are key to almost all DBA's. Read Database Maintenance Tips.

-Brianna

Marketing Budgets

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:22:00 GMT

How can you keep your budget from being cut?

When the economy slows many companies react by cutting budgets, and often marketing budgets are the first to go. While this is not always the best course of action it does happen.

"When revenue and profits are threatened, chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) will naturally consider all the various budgets to seek ways of reducing costs and unnecessary expenditure. Unfortunately, many see the marketing budget as an easy target, and an opportunity to make savings."

What can you do to keep your marketing budget from getting the axe? I found an article published by MyCustomer.com which explains actions that marketers can take to help save the marketing budget. Read tips for managing marketing.

-Brianna

The CRM Market Continues to Grow

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:40:00 GMT

And doesn't show any sign of stopping.

Though many areas of the economy are sluggish it hasn't seemed to effect the CRM market.

"According to Gartner, sales of CRM software rose dramatically in 2007, driven in part by the take-up of software as a service (SaaS) offerings, according to analyst group Gartner. Global spending on CRM software surged in 2007 to roughly $8.1 billion, a 23.1% jump over 2006's total of about $6.6 billion."

The CRM market has definitely matured and the value of owning a CRM system has been realized by many companies, but why has growth continued it what is considered slow economy and can this growth continue? I found a quick read published by MyCustomer.com that takes a look inside the current CRM market and what could possibly come in the future. Read why the CRM market is still growing.

-Brianna

IT Going Green

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:49:00 GMT

The shift to eco-friendly.

This is a topic near and dear to my heart.

Forrester Research has been conducting studies assessing the amount of "green" awareness among enterprise technology professionals. There have been a total of 3 studies, the first of which began in April 2007. The number of participants have greatly increased since the first survey was initiated, signaling a shift toward eco-friendly business.

"The report authors suggest that any company's first step in achieving The Green Dream is to create a detailed plan of action, one that details its "goals, priorities, and activities" to address this issue."

This a short and interesting article which discusses the survey findings, as well as company and consumer views on green awareness. Read Enterprise IT Goes Green, published by CRM Magazine.

-Brianna

Providing the Best Route to a Solution

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Choice is a vital component of good customer service.

Customer service is a key component in every business, but one size does not fit all. There are times when speaking with an actual human being is necessary and other times when an automated service is just fine.

Examples: I prefer being able to pay my bills online (I refuse to write a check) and am glad I don't have to wait for a customer service representative every time I need to make a payment. I like that I can change my wireless plan online at 1am if I so choose. When I forget the password to one of my accounts, and find myself locked out, I am glad that I can reach a customer service rep who can get me back in. If I didn't have all of these choices would I be as happy with the service I receive? I don't think that I would be, and I am not alone.

Customers are used to many choices when it comes to service and it is becoming increasingly important that companies keep up with these demands - or risk loosing out on business.

"Furthermore, it is evidently possible to encourage customers to use particular channels for particular objectives, according to their needs and those of the business. The remaining challenge is to deploy channels with a degree of interconnectedness that will guarantee a consistent experience for the customer and high levels of business opportunity for the organisation."

I found a nice article published by MyCustomer.com that discusses the increasing importance of offering customers multiple customer services channels as well as the benefits of doing so.

-Brianna

Email Marketing

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:38:00 GMT

Make sure your efforts are successful from the start.

It's Monday - welcome back! I hope that all of you had a great weekend and are ready for another week of work.

Email marketing can be a powerful tool for getting information to your customers and prospects - promotions, new products, updates, etc. When done correctly email marketing can have a positive impact on your bottom line, when done incorrectly it can end up being a waste of effort. Today I found an article in CRM Magazine explaining 4 ways to improve your email marketing tactics that I think is worth reading.

-Brianna

Strike While The Iron is Hot

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:53:00 GMT

The best time to put forward a proposal.

It's the beginning of another work week and I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! The rain that was forecasted in my section of the world held off and I was able to enjoy beautiful, sunny weather. I love when weather people are wrong (except for when they forecast nice weather and it doesn't happen )!

To start the week I found an article published by Miller Heiman that gives some insight into when to approach a customer with a proposal - situations, attitudes, needs. It is short and sweet, so take a moment to read the best time to make a proposal.

-Brianna

Getting More Value From Your Database

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:17:00 GMT

9 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Everyday I try to find information that I think may be relevant to the members and visitors of Good Training. Some days I think I do a good job and hit the mark, others times...not so much. Today as I was searching out information to share I came across an article about database marketing that I really liked. Why did I like it? Well for starters it is short. I know everyone on this site is busy and it is unlikely you have a half an hour to devote to reading an article, this one should take you about 5 minutes. I also like this article because the information is staight to the point and relevant. Read about mistakes in database marketing.

-Brianna

Don't Talk to Yourself

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:16:00 GMT

Create a dialogue instead.

Many people feel that direct marketing is nothing more than talking at people. Where is the give and take? What about engaging customers and creating meaningful relationships? With new digital channels available there is more potential for marketers to reach and engage customers than ever before. Using the digital channels available is great but not if you continue using the same old formula. It is important to adapt and change traditional marketing to use new resources and respond to the way consumers are making product decisions. I found an article published by MyCustomer.com that explores how marketers can make better use of digital channels to create long-term customer relationships. Read the article here...

-Brianna

Moving Into a Sales Manager Position

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:17:00 GMT

Have you thought about the adjustment?

The weekend is around the corner and for some of you it has already started. Happy Friday! I hope all of you have the chance to relax and enjoy your free time.

Sales managers are a vital part of the sales team but not necessarily for their ability to sell. Sales managers are ultimately responsible for transferring knowledge, coaching, and encouraging the sales team. Do you have what it takes to be a sales manager? Read this quick article - Developing Sales Managers for Success - published by Miller Heiman.

-Brianna

Exposing Customer Behavior

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:26:00 GMT

Pre-sales behavior is often over looked.

When a customer makes a purchase we usually have some idea as to why they decided to buy. This information is helpful to marketers as they go forward and decide which items sell the best, how to optimize conversion, and improve customer satisfaction. But what about the decision making process before the actual sale? The ability to collect this information can prove invaluable, especially the customer's off-line pre-purchasing behavior.

"Offline pre-purchase behavior data is essential in understanding what buyers are looking for, and what in-person experiential marketing and merchandising tactics will best inform and satisfy these decision-makers."

Read this article by CRM Magazine about why pre-purchase behavior matters.

-Brianna

Time is Money

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 28 May 2008 21:22:00 GMT

Are you wasting both?

I think that there are a few things that everyone working is sales has been guilty of at one time or another: spending an exorbinant amount of time on a difficult customer, thinking of leads in terms of quantity instead of quality, and conducting sales calls with unqualified leads. These efforts can occasionaly turn into a profitable use of time but often they do not, and I am sure there are many other ways in which we shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to generating revenue for our company and possible commissions for ourselves. It is important to take stock of our selling efforts on a regular basis to find out what is still working and what needs to improve - things change and what used to work in the past does not always prove fruitful in the present. I found a short and sweet article published by Miller Heiman highlighting research on ROS, feel free to check it out!

-Brianna

Sales Sabotage

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:12:00 GMT

Inadvertently Hurting Yourself

You would never intentionally mess up a sale, of this I am sure. So how do we inadvertently commit acts of self-sabotage during our sales processes? There are many ways in which our words and actions push a customer away but it doesn't have to be like this. One of the first step to reversing this behavior is recognizing the subtle ways in which our behavior erodes our relationship with the customer. I found an article published by CRM Magazine that gives an overview of damaging sales behavior and some ways we can change. Read about sales self-sabotage.

-Brianna

Was Price Really the Reason?

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:43:00 GMT

The real reasons you may have lost the sale.

Often people believe the reason that a sale was lost was due to price but is this really true? Have you ever asked your customer/potential customer the reason why you lost? I thought we would end the week with an article published by Miller Heiman that highlights the reasons for losing a sale - no, price is not usually the only reason. The article is an easy read and I encourage you to find out why price alone is not the reason you lost a sale before you leave today.

(Note: This article expires, so if you are interested check it out soon.)

I hope that everyone has a great weekend with fun things planned. I think I am going to get out on my bike, I can't wait!

-Brianna

Branding

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:36:00 GMT

Is everyone on the same page?

We all know the importance of brand image in the eyes of our customers. We want our products and/or services to be viewed in a desirable way and to be sought after, which is why we work hard to ensure our customers have a positive brand experience. But within an organization we often fail or fall short when it comes to creating universal, internal branding.

"It’s not rocket science. If your staff are engaged with the brand and understand it, the result should be a more coherent customer experience."

I read an article published by MyCustomer.com that reviews the importance of internal branding and also gives examples of how different companies execute internal branding. I found the article interesting and a quick read and I hope you do as well.

-Brianna

Perform Like a Champ!

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:19:00 GMT

12 Performance indicators for marketing.

Hello again everyone. As you know, for every area of your business (sales, marketing, R&D, customer service, etc.) there are many different metrics to help you get a picture of where you are succeeding and failing depending on your organizations goals. Today our focus will be on marketing. What are meaningful marketing metrics and why should they be measured? There are many ways to answer this question but I would like to point out an article published by MyCustomer.com that focuses on the 12 performance indicators that marketers should measure. The article does a great job at highlighting the close relationship that is needed between marketing and sales as well as the metrics that are of great value to marketers.

"The only measurements which have true value are those which are quantifiable which are usually of inputs and output; such as costs, investments and revenue. In order to achieve, these marketers need to list all the activities that provide direct and indirect support to sales and customer satisfaction, as well as quantify separately all the costs involved in providing both direct and indirect support."

-Brianna

The Customer Experience

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:41:00 GMT

In it for the long haul?

It's the start of the work week again and for me the weekend wasn't long enough! I'm sure some of you know what I mean.

I thought we could start out this week with an article about customer experience. The article I found is published by CRM Magazine and is meant to get you rethinking the life cycle of the customer experience - positive customer interactions build over time not from just a one time occurance.

"In fact, in everyday life, that's how customer experience is built up: through the slow accretion of (hopefully) mostly positive encounters."

I encourage you to read the entire customer experience article. Happy Monday!

-Brianna

Open Lines of Communication

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:16:00 GMT

Both sales and marketing hold valuable insight.

Working through a sales cycle can leave a salesperson scratching his/her head - sometimes customers are hard to understand. But just because you are having a hard time understanding the customer does not mean that you are doing something wrong, sometimes you just need the perspective of a different department - marketing. Marketing sees a different side of customers and potential customers than sales and you should be actively seeking out the marketing departments information and vice versa.

"As close as you are to the client in a buying process, you're not the only one reaching out to them or who has visibility to what they are doing. Communicating regularly with your marketing department will keep you informed and allow you to reflect consistent messages in client conversations."

I found a good article by Miller Heiman that focuses on the importance of alignment between sales and marketing. I think you should check out this quick read to see if you could benefit from some open communication.

(Note: This article expires. If you are interested check it out soon!)

-Brianna

The Funnel Ratio

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:57:00 GMT

What it is and why it is important.

There are many important metrics to know that can help you accurately track and realize your sales goals. One important metric that is often overlooked is the Funnel/Pipeline Ratio. Knowing this ratio can help you maintain balance within your funnel and among accounts. Pretty important, right?

Research from Sales Benchmark Index indicates that companies have the following margins of error in their sales forecast:

36% of sales forecasts have a margin of error of <25%
22% of sales forecasts have a margin of error of 25% to 50%
29% of sales forecasts have a margin of error of 51% to 75%
13% of sales forecasts have a margin of error of >75%

The Funnel Ratio is just one piece of the puzzle, combine this ratio with additional key metrics to get a good look at the big picture. I found an article published by Miller Heiman about the Funnel Ratio and other key metrics, learn more and start making an impact today!

(Note: This article expires, so if you're interested check it out soon!)

-Brianna

Price Cuts as a First Defense?

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:41:00 GMT

Not always the best strategy.

As economies around the world weaken it is natural for businesses to try and determine the best way to stay profitable. Often the first strategy that a company comes up with is price cuts. Now is this the best strategy? Possibly not.

"Simply put, when the economy rebounds, businesses that slashed prices may find it difficult to garner the same pre-recession prices they once demanded and undo any damage the discounting pricing strategy caused their brands."

I found an article published by CRM Magazine that highlights the downfall of price cuts, especially when the cuts are internal and affect quality assurance. As many of you know the customer's perceived quality of a service or product can determine whether they continue to purchase a company's offerings when times are tough. Check out the article about the impact of price cuts.

-Brianna

Bringing in the Bigwig

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:32:00 GMT

The dos and don'ts of bringing an executive into your sales call.

Sales persons are self-sufficient and often have no problem closing a deal themselves. But what about those times when a little extra influence and help is needed? That is when it is time to bring in an executive from the organization. Bringing in an executive can have a positive influence on the customer and can help move a sale along, but it must be done correctly.

"In today's complex selling environment, how do you determine whether leveraging this corporate resource will speed or derail your most significant opportunities?"

I know that there have been times in my selling history when bringing in an executive has definitely helped, and I'm sure I will need to again at some point. So, once it has been decided to bring in an executive what are the dos and don'ts? I encourage you to check out this article published by Miller Heiman so that the next time you bring in an executive you do it right!

(Note: This article expires, if you're interested check it out soon.)

-Brianna

Business Intelligence and CRM

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Business intelligence not just a "nice addition".

Years ago, business intelligence (BI) technology was something that most companies were not tapped into - it was on the wish list but not a high priority. Times are changing and the ability for a company to access BI analytics is fast becoming the norm.

"Analytics are becoming mainstream as companies are linking together CRM, ERP, and supply chain management systems," Walker added. "Companies are using real-time information to make decisions [on] process, production, and pricing."

I found a great article published by CRM Magazine that highlights trends reported at the Gartner Business Intelligence Summit '08. The article covers the the future of BI technology and what it means for an increasingly data dependent business decisions. The article is short, sweet, and highlites the major points of business intelligence technology. Enjoy!

-Brianna

Behavioral Analytics

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:07:00 GMT

E-commerce and website behavior.

It's Friday and I hope everyone has had a good week. Maybe this weekend you are thinking about doing some shopping, possibly online shopping. Do you know what you like and dislike about the e-commerce sites you visit? Do you wish your online shopping experience was more personalized? These are questions many e-marketers, possibly you, are trying to answer.

"However, as the medium of ecommerce continues to mature, eshoppers will demand a more personalised and comfortable shopping experience and will be less likely to accept websites that present 'confusing', 'intrusive' or 'irrelevant' content."

I found an article published at MyCustomer.com that discusses behavioral analytics and the personalization of e-commerce - light reading for your Friday. Have a fun and exciting weekend!

-Brianna

Customer Focused Selling

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:16:00 GMT

Are you really putting your customers first?

I'm sure the answer everyone would give is yes, myself included. We are all selling some sort of product or service or combo of the two that we think will be beneficial to potential and existing customers - at least I hope everyone feels this way! But how do you know you are truly customer focused in your selling endeavors? Is there a way to measure this?

"The most important aspect of being customer-focused is having the ability to understand the challenges faced by your clients."

I found an article published by Miller Heiman that will help to give some insight as to whether you are engaged in customer focused selling. Be prepared to ask yourself some questions...

-Brianna