Software Sales via the Internet

That's what we do 85% of the time.

Hi all. So I found my way to this site from www.businessballs.com and I think it looks like a great resource from a Sales Manager perspective. I'm constantly looking for ways to improve the team, but sometimes I worry that I spend more time looking for new sales techniques than I do reinforcing existing techniques. Just to tell you about my team, we are a small company with six full time sales people. We have three that have a lot of experience and a make a good living and three that have limited experience and are struggling a little. My objective is to focus more time with the newer ones and just provide support and praised the experienced guys. That being said, my highest salaries rep(not by my choice) is not meeting my expectations. But it's a work in progress and I'll address that on a different day.

What I'm looking for and really struggling with is the challenge of selling via online presentations. Our presentations are good and we try to build rapport with and value for our customers before, during, and after the presentation.
However, the follow up with the customer is difficult. If the customer presents enough value to us, we will visit them to meet with all the key decision makers. We close a lot of these deals. However, the newer guys tend to start by working some smaller customers that are not really necessarily worth visiting. So the problem comes in when the customer stops communicating via the phone or email. We try to give them some incentive to call back by letting them know we have a good program for them, but we seem to be lacking something. Are there some unique ways to get a customers attention that I'm not thinking of.
Sorry for the long intro, I'll try to keep future notes a little shorter

Welcome to the community.

Do you conduct a sales interview with the prospect before having them view your online demonstration?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcrtdx

We try to give them some incentive to call back by letting them know we have a good program for them, but we seem to be lacking something. Are there some unique ways to get a customers attention that I'm not thinking of.

Unique ways? I don't know, But if your looking for effective way you can start by finding out what is important about your product to them. After you know this you can have your salespeople talk more about how your product delievers more of this to them. Hint people don't buy for logical reasons they buy for emotional reasons and justify that decision with logic.

In trying to keep this short read the book "Words That Change Minds" By Shelle Rose Charvet. It is written for therapists, but I believe a man smart enough to get the job of sales manager can find ways to make it applicable to sales.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liberty

Welcome to the community.

Do you conduct a sales interview with the prospect before having them view your online demonstration?

Are you refering to some sort of lead qualification interview? If so, we do try to gather a certain amount of information prior to setting up an online presentation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jorel

Hint people don't buy for logical reasons they buy for emotional reasons and justify that decision with logic.

Good point. The emotional side of the product is very apparent on one side of our business. It's the new products that are the challenge. I'll have to brain storm on that with a few people. Thanks for the book suggestion.

Welcome to the community.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcrtdx

That's what we do 85% of the time.

What I'm looking for and really struggling with is the challenge of selling via online presentations. Our presentations are good and we try to build rapport with and value for our customers before, during, and after the presentation.
However, the follow up with the customer is difficult. If the customer presents enough value to us, we will visit them to meet with all the key decision makers. We close a lot of these deals. However, the newer guys tend to start by working some smaller customers that are not really necessarily worth visiting. So the problem comes in when the customer stops communicating via the phone or email. We try to give them some incentive to call back by letting them know we have a good program for them, but we seem to be lacking something. Are there some unique ways to get a customers attention that I'm not thinking of.
Sorry for the long intro, I'll try to keep future notes a little shorter

Are you selling your program or your ability to solve the prospect's problem?

I have put together programs that I thought would be attractive my prospects in the past. When creating the program, I try to think through the needs of my market. But the needs analysis doesn't stop there. Each prospect has a unique set of needs. If I try to sell the program I have put together instead of trying to understand that individual prospect's needs, I will not be nearly as effective.

Do you know why each prospect needs your software. What his or her timelines and deadlines are? Are you there at the right time to help him make his buying decision effectively? Do you put yourself in your prospect's shoes and think about what he or she needs from your product and your company? A salesman who meets the needs of his clients is a successful salesman.

Software Sales via the Internet

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