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Any book recommendations on this sales process? I'm in the same boat as OP as to B2Bness-of-product and experiencing cold-email-fright at the moment.

by kranner 16y ago

maxklein 16y ago
I'm not THAT good. I'm not a salesman, I never made so many sales. All I know is what causes you to lose sales. The process is like this: 1. Approach your customer with a solution to a problem he has. Focus in the start ONLY to get him to reply your email. Don't sell yet! Make sure he replies, and half your task is done 2. When he replies, be honest about what your product can do for him, and if he needs it. 3. Allow him test it, or give him some special access, making sure to back off completely at this point. If he feels under pressure, he'll disappear. He has to impale himself on your stake, you don't drive it into him 4. After that, if he indicates interest to buy, make it easy and painless for him It's really all about honesty and solving peoples problem, the rest is just about not fucking up. It's like meeting a girl who likes you (customer that needs your product). It's all about you just not fucking up the process, that's it. Just guide the person to the sales page gently, without being overeager or annoying. If he does not want it, he does not, if he wants it, he'll buy it you don't need to really sell it.
- kranner 16y ago
  Thanks! That's really insightful and even eases the burden on a sales wimp like me.
culturengine 16y ago
The Four Steps to the Epiphany by steve Blank is pretty good at guiding you through the customer development process.
- regularfry 16y ago
  Upvoted. I've just finished reading it, and even if you find fault with the process he builds in it, it gives a very good perspective on the busywork and cargo cult rituals that sink a lot of businesses. He's also got a damn good blog (http://www.steveblank.com http://www.steveblank.com) which gets links here fairly regularly :-)
joshkaufman 16y ago
"SPIN Selling" by Neil Rackham: http://personalmba.com/review/spin-selling/ http://personalmba.com/review/spin-selling/
thehickmans 16y ago
You might find http://www.leadgenerationbook.com/ http://www.leadgenerationbook.com/ useful. It will seem like common sense, but for me the book was valuable in that it showed what a comprehensive sales and marketing program might look like.
- kranner 16y ago
  Thanks. With this and the other two book recommendations above (Blank, Rackham) I'm beginning to suspect it might be a good idea to share revenue with a sales person after all.

Any book recommendations on this sales process? I'm in the same boat as OP as to B2Bness-of-product and experiencing cold-email-fright at the moment.

by kranner 16y ago

Any book recommendations on this sales process? I'm in the same boat as OP as to B2Bness-of-product and experiencing cold-email-fright at the moment.

maxklein 16y ago

I'm not THAT good. I'm not a salesman, I never made so many sales. All I know is what causes you to lose sales. The process is like this: 1. Approach your customer with a solution to a problem he has. Focus in the start ONLY to get him to reply your email. Don't sell yet! Make sure he replies, and half your task is done 2. When he replies, be honest about what your product can do for him, and if he needs it. 3. Allow him test it, or give him some special access, making sure to back off completely at this point. If he feels under pressure, he'll disappear. He has to impale himself on your stake, you don't drive it into him 4. After that, if he indicates interest to buy, make it easy and painless for him It's really all about honesty and solving peoples problem, the rest is just about not fucking up. It's like meeting a girl who likes you (customer that needs your product). It's all about you just not fucking up the process, that's it. Just guide the person to the sales page gently, without being overeager or annoying. If he does not want it, he does not, if he wants it, he'll buy it you don't need to really sell it.

kranner 16y ago
Thanks! That's really insightful and even eases the burden on a sales wimp like me.

culturengine 16y ago

The Four Steps to the Epiphany by steve Blank is pretty good at guiding you through the customer development process.

regularfry 16y ago
Upvoted. I've just finished reading it, and even if you find fault with the process he builds in it, it gives a very good perspective on the busywork and cargo cult rituals that sink a lot of businesses. He's also got a damn good blog (http://www.steveblank.com http://www.steveblank.com) which gets links here fairly regularly :-)

joshkaufman 16y ago

"SPIN Selling" by Neil Rackham: http://personalmba.com/review/spin-selling/ http://personalmba.com/review/spin-selling/

thehickmans 16y ago

You might find http://www.leadgenerationbook.com/ http://www.leadgenerationbook.com/ useful. It will seem like common sense, but for me the book was valuable in that it showed what a comprehensive sales and marketing program might look like.

kranner 16y ago
Thanks. With this and the other two book recommendations above (Blank, Rackham) I'm beginning to suspect it might be a good idea to share revenue with a sales person after all.