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CURRENT RELEASES AND NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS (Directly linked to the SLMA site):

• Internet radio's 'Super Demographic' exposed
  More and more connected consumers are surfing the airwaves online. TargetSpot has identified a 'Super Demographic' of Internet radio-listening folk who, their research shows, are tuned-in, highly engaged and influencers.
• Marketo Opens European Headquarters, Appoints Former Salesforce Executive Fergus Gloster Managing Director of EMEA
• Apple Poaches Microsoft Cloud Exec: Report
• The Casey Group Introduces Road Warriors’ Dream iPad App
• Introducing Report Subscriptions for the LeadMaster CRM System
• AdTrack debuts international version of the SmartLead lead management system
• Nucleus Research Finds Jigsaw Up to 40 Percent More Accurate Than Traditional Business Data Sources
• Eloqua Recognized by Major Analyst Firms: Recent Reports Include Revenue Performance Management Provider

"I'll be right there, just as soon as I finish
this forecast."

Right click on the cartoon to download and forward.

DemandCon - May 18 - 20, 2011 - SIGN UP NOW.

Our Goal is to present topics focused on three main categories;

• Top of Funnel: Demand/Lead Generation
  
• Intra Funnel: Lead Management, Tracking, Scoring & Nurturing
  
• Bottom of the Funnel: Sales Enablement and Alignment
  

Programming will include Keynote presentations of the world's foremost thought leaders in the sales and marketing industry. Panel discussions will include multiple speakers each having 20 minutes to cover a particular aspect of one of the above categories. Single topic, single speaker programs will be intermixed throughout the conference based on our approval.

April 21 Show: Jeff Pedowitz and Tony Rutigliano

April 14 Show: Stu Heinecke and Bill Goldsmith

April 7 Show: Ken Thoreson

March 31 Show: Mike Schultz and Tony Panaccio

ARTICLES OF IMPORTANCE - MEMBERS ONLY ACCESS:

• The Job of Sales Management 42 Action Steps by Ken Thoresen
• (PDF) B-to-B Response Databases: a Comparative Analysis by Bernice Grossman and Ruth P. Stevens
• Book Review: Celebritize Yourself The Three Step Method to Increase your Visibility and Explode your Business
• SLMA Adds Live Video Webinar Broadcasts for Sponsors
• The Sales Lead Management Association Offers Its Opinion
• 5 Steps for Increasing Your Perserverance by Jack Perry, The Respect Factor
• Cashing in on Conferences: Lead Follow Up is the key by M. H. Mac McIntosh

RECENT BLOG POSTS:

• Sales shouldn't have to use a crystal ball to forecast sales!
• Nothing will spoil a man’s life like too much truth!
• “20 Women to Watch in Sales Lead Management”
• A Bigger Box Isn't The Way To Solve The Sales Lead Management Problem

The Job of Sales Management 42 Action Steps

by Ken Thorsen

The ideal sales manager acts as a sales leader, a catalyst for change and continuous improvement, and a positive force within the larger organization. The best managers understand their priorities and their teams—and they have a vision for the future.
The report is designed to define key actions that the sales manager (SM) must take to be effective, then describe each action’s purpose and explain its importance. Among the areas we’ll cover are sales achievement, marketing plan development and execution, salesperson development, systematic management, recruitment and management communication. Note: The actions aren’t listed in order of priority.

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B-to-B Response Databases: A Comparative Analysis

by Bernice Grossman and Ruth P. Stevens

Overview 
When B-to-B marketers want to find new prospects, they have traditionally relied on compiled files (gathered from directories and other sources), or response files (made up of individuals who have taken some kind of action, like subscribe to a trade magazine, attend a conference, or buy a product).  In recent years, these response files have been assembled into large databases, giving marketers access to names based on various characteristics like title, company size, etc. 

Compared to data from compiled files, response files have typically tended to be more accurate, but couldn’t necessarily provide the market coverage or firmographic detail needed.  So most B-to-B marketers use a combination of compiled and response files in their campaigns. 

Download PDF here

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Celebritize Yourself The Three Step Method to Increase your Visibility and Explode your Business

By Marsha Friedman

Direct from Author $19.95
Amazon $14.81
Barnes & Noble $14.66
175 Pages, paperback, published by Warren Publishing, Inc.

It’s a celebrity world and Ms. Friedman’s advice is to create a personal brand in order to stand out in an increasing crowded marketplace.  This is a three step guide to use her formula.  Her three steps are:  Write, Speak and …. Well I want you to find out the third for yourself.    Much of the book is devoted to convincing the shy and reticent to step forward and use their ideas, books, speeches and articles to brand themselves. 

This book has eleven chapters packed into 179 pages.  The chapters are:

1. Isn’t it Time You Walked Into the Limelight?
2. The Joy of Becoming the Celebrity in Your Field
3. Why Do You Want to Become a Celebrity?
4. First, Know Thy Self
5. It All Starts with a book
6. From Community Celebrity to National Celebrity
7. How to be a Great Radio or TV Guest and Quoted in the News!
8. The Celebritize Yourself Quiz
9. Find Your Media Niche?
10. Now, Let’s Get started!
11. The Big Payoff

The parts I find interesting are some of the interactive quiz pages that help you decide why and how to proceed in celebritizing yourself.  Page 29 has the “5 Reasons Why I want to be a Celebrity in my Field.”  You have to answer this truthfully.   The “Know Thyself” Chapter 4 is only 17 pages, but it gives you a self-assessment that is needed to do more than write and speak.  Chapter 9, “Find Your Media Niche, is solid advice.”  Throughout the book there are 74 “Celebritize Yourself Facts” which keeps the reader on track and which is worth the price of the book.  A few I like are:

Page 18: “Re-focus away from Hollywood or the Big Apple and turn it inward toward yourself, your product, service, or expertise, and your industry.”

Page 23:  “In our media-saturated world of high hopes and high tech, celebrity is nothing less than a prerequisite for success.”

Page 51: “Weaknesses are not the same as faults.  Often we confuse the two, but in fact, recognizing our weaknesses-and correcting them-can turn them into strengths over time.”

Page 109: “Above all you must be a cheerleader for your message.”

Page 127: “Your message is what will define you.”

Final assessment?  It is a must read for someone who can build their career around their abilities, messages, and create a following. 

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SLMA Adds Live Video Webinar Broadcasts for Sponsors

The SLMA Under the direction of the new Director of Video Production, Bill Goldsmith is now offering Video Webinars.    Now Webinar presenters can present their educational and product information to an unlimited audience live and visible to the audience.  James Obermayer, CEO of the SLMA said, “Gone are the days when the webinar attendee looked at a PowerPoint presentation and only heard the presenters voice.  Now up to 15 presenters (a panel for instance) can be visible to the audience.    For more information about the SLMA Video webinar program, call Ron Goodman, VP of Business Development at  510 471 3874  or email him at:  [email protected]

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The Sales Lead Management Association Offers Its Opinion

From time to time the SLMA will use our Recommended Stamp as a signal to the membership and visitors that the book, article, webinar, conference, seminar, etc., which is recommended is worth their time to read, use or purchase.

The recommendation is an opinion similar to product reviews. The SLMA Recommendation is not a guarantee of the products use or reliability and we take no responsibility for the warranty, expressed or implied by this recommendation. 

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5 Steps for Increasing Your Pererverance

by Jack Perry, The Respect Factor

When Winston Churchill was a young boy, many people considered him intellectually challenged. Perhaps because of that perception, he pushed himself to extraordinary heights, going on to become Britain's Prime Minister and to lead the country through its darkest hours. He delivered a commencement address in which he said  simply,"Never, never, never quit." And then he sat down.

Read the full article >>

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Cashing in on Conferences: Lead Follow up is the Key

by M.H. Mac McIntosh

You invested a lot of time, energy and resources participating in your industry conference.  And that’s not counting your sore feet, the lack of sleep and the time away from your family.

It was all worth it, you say.  Think of all you learned while attending the educational sessions, the relationships you developed or shored up with clients, prospects and industry movers and shakers. And the stack of leads from your exhibit and the business cards that you collected during your time at the show.

Unfortunately, now the real work begins.

No, I’m not talking about the extra time you’ll put in catching up on the work awaiting your return to the office.  I’m talking about following up with all those leads and business cards you collected—a critical first step in turning those prospects into qualified sales-ready opportunities for more business.

So where do you start?

Read the full article >>

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