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Management Tips
Management Tip: PR seldom gets the credit it deserves
James Obermayer.jpg)
PR can be one of your most consistent performers!
Public relations in its many forms, media relations, crises management, press releases, press mentions, community relations, articles, speaking, media tours, seldom gets credit for its contributions to sales. For the average company, PR can contribute as much as 22-23% of all the sales leads it creates. You have to measure all forms of marketing.
Got a management tip you've learned the hard way, send it to [email protected]
Management Tip: Beware of the salesperson who talks big in sales meetings
James Obermayer
They tell you all about the really big deals they’re working on; they talk too long, fast and loud in sales meetings. There will be lots of details and name dropping. Outside of the sales meeting there is no sense of urgency. Their pipeline will be large, but conversion will be low; prospects will grow old on the pipeline. They won’t want to travel with the sales manager; lots of excuses. When they do travel with the manager the calls will be to current accounts, few prospects. They seldom ask for help. Our advice: In the long run it is better to have no breath than bad breath.
Management Tip: Beware of the manager who competes with you.
James Obermayer
You won’t get credit for what you do. You’ll resent their representation of your work as their own. Run as fast as you can from his or her as an employer.
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Don’t introduce a product before it’s ready to sell
James ObermayerNever introduce a product before it’s ready to sell unless you’re the market leader, and even then think twice about it. If sales time is spent talking about a product that doesn’t exist and can’t be delivered then sales will be sacrificed on existing products that can be sold, invoiced and shipped.
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Volunteer whenever a chance for leadership is presented.
James Obermayer.jpg)
Management Tip: Volunteering
Whether it is for a committee, a non-profit group, a local business association, or a tough project in your company volunteering give you back more than you give. You’ll grow faster than others and build up a store of goodwill when times get tough. And they will.
Management Tip: My Advice to you is to go into sales
James Obermayer"My advice to you is to go into sales: If you succeed at it you'll be happy; if not you'll become a marketer."
Ok, this is a paraphrase from Socrates, but there is something to be said about spending time as a salesperson before you go into marketing. Do it and you'll never regret it.
Socrates said, "My advice to you is to get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not you'll become a philosopher."
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Get engaged, Stay Engaged
James ObermayerProducts that have a long sales cycle need “continuous engagement” programs, sometimes called sales lead nurturing programs. These programs are simply multiple mailers or phone calls to the prospect over a period of time. Your agency can design a continuous engagement program so that no prospect is forced to buy from a competitor because they haven’t heard from you in six months. Dozens of marketing automation program and most CRM programs offer some sort of nurturing programs.
Management Tip: Beware the manager who hides behind email
James ObermayerBeware... of the manager who would rather communicate more by e-mail than in person. This is a timid non-confrontational manager who will hide from difficult decisions and play the weasel when leadership is needed.
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Create sales leads for quota bearing products
James ObermayerCreate sales leads on products for which the salespeople have quotas. More often than not marketing dollars in weak organizations are targeted for non-critical products. If you can't make your revenue targets for the larger more profitable products, you won't be around long enough to sell the less important products of the product line.
Management Tip: Be careful of gossiping
James ObermayerBe careful gossiping about layoffs and downsizing. If you think you know what’s happening, stay quiet because there is a good chance you’re wrong. Being wrong is harmful and disrupting.
Got a management tip? Send it to [email protected] and we'll publish it under your name.
Management Tip: Be careful off Marketing Managers who avoid...
James ObermayerBe careful of Marketing Managers who avoid any responsibility for sales. If they say that’s the sales manager’s job, fire them and hire someone who understands that it is the marketing manager’s job to create market share. Market share is revenue.
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Mystery Solved: How to Predict the number of inquiries needed to make quota!
James Obermayer
In order to predict the number of inquiries (not qualified sales leads which is a percentage of the whole) use this formula:
Quota dollars/ Average sales price/ Buying percentage (45%)/
Close ratio (your market share) = inquiries needed to make quota.
Use the calculator on the Sales Lead Management Association Site here.
Or visit: A (Handy) Lead Generation Campaign Calculator KiteDesk Blog
Management Tip: Telemarketing fails because it often reports to the wrong person!
James ObermayerTelemarketing fails most often when it reports to the wrong person. As a tactical department, telemarketing measures its performance on an hour-by-hour basis. If it reports to the vice president of sales it usually fails. The VP of sales seldom takes the time to properly manage or oversee a successful telemarketing operation. Telemarketing needs a manager who is interested in details, understands hourly employees, and who can lead front line “customer contact” specialists with an understanding of the special needs of the telemarketing professional.
Send your management tips to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Be careful of Sales Managers
James Obermayer“Be careful of sales managers who imply they can make their numbers on their own without any help from “marketing.” They can’t do it, can’t admit it, and aren’t part of a team.”
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Don’t blame your agencies without first…
James Obermayer“Companies that change advertising/branding/PR/Content/Digital agencies too often would do well to examine the marketing people directing the agency. Garbage in, garbage out. Consider a change in your marketing management before you blame your agency.”
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Avoid Agencies...
James Obermayer"Avoid Advertising, Branding, Direct Marketing, Digital, Content or PR agencies that talk about image and avoid any discussions about ROI. They will take your money, give you pretty pictures, but few tangible results."
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: If you can’t promote consistently...
James Obermayer“Promote consistently or not at all. A three-month blitz to introduce a new product, without a continuing program, is most likely to come from a company whose president still thinks a good (or even bad) product can sell itself and promotion isn’t needed. He or she is also likely to be suspect that salespeople are overhead."
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: You can predict sales results from Lead Generation!
James Obermayer“The person who can predict sales results from marketing programs will be a vital part of the company and the sales process. Fortunately, this isn’t difficult once you realize that 40-45% of all leads will turn into a sale for you or a competitor within one year. In the short term, 22-26% of all sales leads will turn into a sale for someone within 6 months.”
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: Testimonials are valuable
James Obermayer“The best way to spotlight your products and services in the industry press is to feature customers who are using the products in an article about them. Editors love this sort of applications story and they’ll be sure to name your company. Get reprints of the article and use them in press mentions, literature packages (for those that still do it). Aren’t third-party endorsements wonderful?”
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: When salespeople say half of the leads are no good...
James Obermayer"76% of all people who inquire about your products intend to buy, but only 45% will eventually make a commitment to you or a competitor. The only way a salesperson will know who is a buyer is to follow-up all the leads and determine which half are no good."
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management tip: A lead that’s six months old....
James Obermayer"When a sales lead is six months old, and the company/person still hasn’t bought, there’s a 56% chance he or she will still buy from you or a competitor. Unfortunately, only 15% of the people will still want to see you (considering you didn’t follow up to begin with, not surprising). Pursue them anyway"
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
Management Tip: What management can expect when they travel with a salesperson…
James Obermayer"When you travel with a salesperson, especially senior management, beware that they'll take you on a marathon tour of their customers, but you'll never seem to visit a new prospect. If you want to travel with a salesperson, show up unexpectedly and see what they have planned."
Send your management tips with your name to: [email protected]
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