When hiring for lead generation, candidates who are a good fit for outbound prospecting share 4 key qualities. Over time, experience confirms that these traits are still important today. Sales and marketing management may find itself with an ample candidate pool. Here are four qualities to keep in mind as you hire employees to build leads through outreach.
1. Outbound Prospecting Ability and Willingness
Many sales and marketing managers believe that inbound lead generation representatives can easily take on the duties of outbound prospecting. More often than not, this doesn't work out because the skill set required for outbound prospecting is different than the skill set required for inbound response. Be sure your candidate is capable, experienced, willing, eager and hungry to prospect proactively and take on outreach activities.
2. Client and Relationship Orientation
Another important sales and marketing management trait to evaluate is representative's ability to engage with a potential prospect. Warm or otherwise, they must guide a conversation with people they have never spoken with previously. This is not an easy task. It requires skill, knowledge and finesse, at the very least. It is truly an art to make a connection with a potential prospect early on, and to establish a relationship. An individual who values and demonstrates strong client relationship skills is key to success in generating leads through outbound prospecting. This is especially true if the outreach campaign includes engaging with senior level executives.
3. Strategic and Focused Mindset
A hunter mindset, combined with a consultative approach is crucial for outbound prospecting success. Especially when focusing on targeted, more complex accounts, it's essential for the representative to understand the account and key players in a strategic, managed, organized fashion during the engagement process.
4. Industry Knowledge: Quick Study and Sponge-Like Absorption
To connect and engage at high levels, a lead generation outbound prospecting representative needs a sponge like ability to quickly grasp and retain industry knowledge, key target market and pertinent target audience information.
At Exceed Sales, we are passionate about lead generation as an art and science. We help you achieve results beyond your expectations with our lead generation services. CEO Elisa Ciarametaro is author of the Exceed Sales blog, and the free Focused Outreach Lead Generation E-Book.
Core Small Business Skills - Sales and Marketing Management
As a business owner and entrepreneur it is important to develop a set of key management skills upon which you can build your business. Even more so when you consider research into Australian small business failures, has identified that in 90% of cases, a lack of management skills has been a key reason for small business failure. Being able to effectively market and sell your products is one of the core skills required to operate your business effectively. We will take a look at the specific sales and marketing skills you need to master for profitable success.
Market Research
Strong sales and marketing skills are vital in the promotion of your small business and its products and services. You need to be able to undertake market research which will help you to identify where your markets are, the total market size and the size of each of its key segments. You should also be able to profile your customers, identify their needs, wants, behaviours and ambitions and parlay the information into powerful and effective marketing campaigns and sales techniques which will help to drive sales revenue.
You also need to develop the skills required to undertake primary research. Primary research is research that you undertake yourself. i.e. feedback, surveys, questionnaires, etc. You need to be able to keep your finger on the pulse of your customers ever-changing demands and the business environment in which you operate and to identify the threats and opportunities that may impact on your small business. Inability to adjust to changes in the market place was identified by market research as one of the key skills lacking in small business operators.
Customer Segmentation
Customer segmentation is the practice of analysing your customers in your customer database and grouping them according to their gender, age, education, geography, income, life stage, behaviours and aspirations. Developing your customer segmentation analytical skills provides the foundation for better understanding your customers so that you can target each segment with specific campaigns designed specifically to speak to them, thereby increasing the response rate of your marketing campaigns. It can also help you identify where potential customers with similar profiles might be found.
Marketing Planning
Successful entrepreneurs and small business owners need strong marketing planning skills. You need to be able to take your marketing strategy and communicate it to all relevant stakeholders. Usually the vehicle that is used to formally communicate your marketing strategy is your marketing plan.
Marketing planning skills will help you create a clear, concise document which defines your strategic business intent and the marketing approach you have chosen as the most effective method of achieving your overall business goals.
Creating Value Propositions
Customers buy when the perceived value is greater than the price. Marketing involves the development and creation of innovative value propositions that puts your product or service offering ahead of those of your competitors. You need to learn to harness the primary research from your customers, competitors customers and potential customers to continually strive to improve your offering.
Effective Campaign Development
Developing effective marketing campaigns relies on having completed the market research, the customer profiling and segmentation, developing a marketing plan that aligns to the organisations' strategic intent and developing innovative value propositions. Campaign development takes all that information and designs appropriate messages and determines communication delivery channels in order to directly appeal to your target segment.
Sales Techniques & Processes
It definitely pays to develop effective sales processes, including the preparation and planning of your sales approach. You need to master your sales pitch, learn how to handle objections and refine your closing techniques. As the small business owner you also need to be able to teach each of your employees how to sell effectively.
Customer Fulfilment
Delivering to your customer should be a well planned, well prepared and well executed process. After all, you are aiming to deliver the ultimate customer experience. Having the ability to define the process, so that it can be repeated time after time, with each and every customer, takes skill. Exceptional execution or customer execution. Exceptional execution will earn you happy customers. Happy customers tell their family and friends and also remain loyal. Customer execution results in no repeat sales and no referrals.
Developing sales and marketing management skills will help you achieve sales and marketing success and help you to drive increasing sales revenues in your small business. Keeping abreast of changes in the marketplace and in consumer demands and having the ability to respond to those changes will ensure your business grows, thrives and survives.
Market Research
Strong sales and marketing skills are vital in the promotion of your small business and its products and services. You need to be able to undertake market research which will help you to identify where your markets are, the total market size and the size of each of its key segments. You should also be able to profile your customers, identify their needs, wants, behaviours and ambitions and parlay the information into powerful and effective marketing campaigns and sales techniques which will help to drive sales revenue.
You also need to develop the skills required to undertake primary research. Primary research is research that you undertake yourself. i.e. feedback, surveys, questionnaires, etc. You need to be able to keep your finger on the pulse of your customers ever-changing demands and the business environment in which you operate and to identify the threats and opportunities that may impact on your small business. Inability to adjust to changes in the market place was identified by market research as one of the key skills lacking in small business operators.
Customer Segmentation
Customer segmentation is the practice of analysing your customers in your customer database and grouping them according to their gender, age, education, geography, income, life stage, behaviours and aspirations. Developing your customer segmentation analytical skills provides the foundation for better understanding your customers so that you can target each segment with specific campaigns designed specifically to speak to them, thereby increasing the response rate of your marketing campaigns. It can also help you identify where potential customers with similar profiles might be found.
Marketing Planning
Successful entrepreneurs and small business owners need strong marketing planning skills. You need to be able to take your marketing strategy and communicate it to all relevant stakeholders. Usually the vehicle that is used to formally communicate your marketing strategy is your marketing plan.
Marketing planning skills will help you create a clear, concise document which defines your strategic business intent and the marketing approach you have chosen as the most effective method of achieving your overall business goals.
Creating Value Propositions
Customers buy when the perceived value is greater than the price. Marketing involves the development and creation of innovative value propositions that puts your product or service offering ahead of those of your competitors. You need to learn to harness the primary research from your customers, competitors customers and potential customers to continually strive to improve your offering.
Effective Campaign Development
Developing effective marketing campaigns relies on having completed the market research, the customer profiling and segmentation, developing a marketing plan that aligns to the organisations' strategic intent and developing innovative value propositions. Campaign development takes all that information and designs appropriate messages and determines communication delivery channels in order to directly appeal to your target segment.
Sales Techniques & Processes
It definitely pays to develop effective sales processes, including the preparation and planning of your sales approach. You need to master your sales pitch, learn how to handle objections and refine your closing techniques. As the small business owner you also need to be able to teach each of your employees how to sell effectively.
Customer Fulfilment
Delivering to your customer should be a well planned, well prepared and well executed process. After all, you are aiming to deliver the ultimate customer experience. Having the ability to define the process, so that it can be repeated time after time, with each and every customer, takes skill. Exceptional execution or customer execution. Exceptional execution will earn you happy customers. Happy customers tell their family and friends and also remain loyal. Customer execution results in no repeat sales and no referrals.
Developing sales and marketing management skills will help you achieve sales and marketing success and help you to drive increasing sales revenues in your small business. Keeping abreast of changes in the marketplace and in consumer demands and having the ability to respond to those changes will ensure your business grows, thrives and survives.
Karen L. Paiyo is an Australian Small Business Counsellor, supporting and nurturing the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Asia Pacific Region. Karen empowers small business owners by transferring to them the skills and expertise needed to help them take their business ideas from creative concept to profitable reality, faster and with less risk.
The Role and Responsibilities of a Sales Marketing Manager
For building a prospective and lucrative career, jobs in sales and marketing are traditionally considered as an evergreen job option. There are huge career scopes in sales and marketing jobs in different sectors, including manufacturing, finance, retail and pharmaceutical sectors. Among all the types of jobs in sales and marketing, the jobs of a marketing manager sales are regarded as the most challenging and glorious jobs in the field of marketing and sales. Nowadays services based companies feel the necessity of employing various marketing professionals or sales marketing manager for increasing their product sales and marketing management.
Sales management is regarded as a very vital component in a marketing management procedure. It actually converts different marketing plans into the marketing performances. Proper sales management is the backbone of a good marketing management procedure. The sales marketing manager in a company has to plan and control the selling attempt of a company. His task does not end with the success of target sales quotas. He is totally liable for bringing the ultimate profits in a business. In addition to that, he at the same time responsible to create a good and reputed image of the company and its services and products. In other words a modern sales marketing manager has to handle the total marketing jobs rather than only selling products.
A sales marketing manager handles the four major areas that include marketing sales, advertising, product promotion and evaluation of business data. He has a responsibility for building the sales organization. He also handles all types marketing jobs on behalf of the company that include preparing and implementing various marketing sales plans in association with the sales department of a company. He is also responsible for managing the budget of a marketing department and conducting research on market and portraying specifications for new service or product.
To hold the post of a marketing manager sales in a private company, a person must have MBA degree in marketing. The person who has diploma in marketing is also eligible, but having a MBA degree will help you to get a job with good remuneration. Except the educational qualification, to be a good sales marketing manager, one must have some additional skills or abilities, like outstanding verbal or written communication skills, to work under pressure and a good knowledge of making as well developing innovative marketing strategies.
Sales management is regarded as a very vital component in a marketing management procedure. It actually converts different marketing plans into the marketing performances. Proper sales management is the backbone of a good marketing management procedure. The sales marketing manager in a company has to plan and control the selling attempt of a company. His task does not end with the success of target sales quotas. He is totally liable for bringing the ultimate profits in a business. In addition to that, he at the same time responsible to create a good and reputed image of the company and its services and products. In other words a modern sales marketing manager has to handle the total marketing jobs rather than only selling products.
A sales marketing manager handles the four major areas that include marketing sales, advertising, product promotion and evaluation of business data. He has a responsibility for building the sales organization. He also handles all types marketing jobs on behalf of the company that include preparing and implementing various marketing sales plans in association with the sales department of a company. He is also responsible for managing the budget of a marketing department and conducting research on market and portraying specifications for new service or product.
To hold the post of a marketing manager sales in a private company, a person must have MBA degree in marketing. The person who has diploma in marketing is also eligible, but having a MBA degree will help you to get a job with good remuneration. Except the educational qualification, to be a good sales marketing manager, one must have some additional skills or abilities, like outstanding verbal or written communication skills, to work under pressure and a good knowledge of making as well developing innovative marketing strategies.
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