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Sales and Marketing Assessment Training
What you need to know to pass the SBSC assessment
and get your certification this weekend……
Disclaimer
I am over 50 miles from home I do not know it all, or even what
I need to know I lead a team of 78 folks who
serve the SMB market I am still in business after 22
years You are on your own………….take
what I share and make it your own
Who’s Here
Are not already SBSC certified?
Are using the assessment toolkit?
Have someone dedicated to marketing in your company? (>50% time)
Goals of the day
Give you all the information you need to pass the assessment for SBSC
Share key ideas about sales and marketing you can take back and use
Help you grow your business and achieve your goals
It all comes down to EXECUTION!
Our Agenda
A Quick History Lesson on HTS Cramming for the Exam The Power of a System Business and Technology
Assessment Toolkit High Speed Training
Marketing 101 Other Important Stuff
A History Lesson on HTS
Business is all about the relationship
“People are really what matter. At the end of the day, it’s all about the people you are around and touch.”
My Philosophy
We sell technology but we are in the people business. Sales and marketing are all about how we relate to the people around us with consistency and predictability.
Life in a Corn Field
Market Opportunity
25,000 people within 30 mile radius
Harlan
HTS Timeline 1985 – began business as a hobby 1990 – incorporated and became a real business 1991 – hired first employee 1999 – peak before the Y2K bust – 36 people 2001 – formed Heartland Tech Group (partner peer group) 2001 – acquired Denison company (2 employees) 2002 – acquired Shenandoah company (4 employees) 2003 – merged with Connecting Point Joplin (10 employees) 2003 – acquired Beacon Micro (10 employees) 2005 – new partnership with Blue Space (former employee) 2006 – merged with BCC Wichita (30 employees) 2006 – formed Heartland Tech Group 2 & 3 (partner peer
groups) 2007 – formed/forming HTG+ – 12 (partner peer groups)
HTS Today
78 employees
8 offices
5 states
And growing
Two Unique Things
www.heartlandtechnologies.com
ww2.htgmembers.com
Step One on the SBSC Trail
Passing the Sales and Marketing Assessment Exam
So What is Required
To become SBSC you must: Pass the Sales and Marketing
Assessment Pass one of three MCP exams Have an Action Pack
Let’s look at the process
Sign up to be an Small Business Specialist
Where to start the SBSC certification process
Online Training
The Assessment
Current test live until FY08 but likely changes in August
Scenario based exam 5 scenario’s with 4 questions in
each Customer examples with questions
about how a small business partner would address their needs
The Opportunity
The Small Business Market includes 77 million worldwide small businesses and 40 million worldwide PC-using small businesses.
Our Market Defined
Small business is 1-24 pc’s with 50 or less employees
Low Mid Market is 25-50 pc’s
Core Mid Market is 50-250 pc’s
Upper Mid Market is 250-1000 pc’s
Know This Material
Small Business Segmentation
IT Light
IT Basic
IT Dependant
IT Strategic
Small Business SegmentationIT Light•14%
IT Basic•28%
IT Dependant•22%IT Strategic•36%
Business Priorities
IT Light•Sales and cash flow
IT Basic•Sales, cash flow and marketing
IT Dependant•Sales, control costs, track time, cash flow, marketing
IT Strategic•Enhance all from the IT Dependent list
Business Attitudes
IT Light•Risk AverseIT Basic•Moderate Risk Takers
IT Dependant•Moderate Risk Takers
IT Strategic•Risk Takers
IT Attitudes
IT Light•Not IntegralIT Basic•Tool
IT Dependant•EssentialIT Strategic•Strategic
IT Drivers
IT Light•Improve Life of Owner
IT Basic•Straight Forward Answers to Questions
IT Dependant•Improve Process and Efficiency
IT Strategic•Make Money and Grow
IT Light
IT Basic
IT Dependent
IT Strategic
Who Cares
It matters because the level the prospect or customer is in determines how you approach them
It also matters because it gives you an indication of the type of customer they will be
The HTS Client Relationship
Type of Service
Time and Materials Block Time Managed Complete
Characteristic React Maintain Direct Control
RelationshipAd Hoc(Playing the field)
Advisor(Dating)
Consultant(Engaged)
Business Partner
(Married)
Risk Client Client Centric
Service Partner Centric
Service Partner
View Cost Center
Efficient Cost Center
Business Enabler
Strategic Success Factor
Speed of Change Months Weeks Days Minutes
Process Chaotic Reactive Proactive Agile
Factors That Control Purchases
Price
Trust
Software performance
Compatibility with existing systems
Attracting and Selling to Small Businesses
Attract
Propose
Close
Support
Key Truth to Remember
Nothing happens until the sale is made!
It doesn’t matter how good you are at being an engineer or consultant, if you don’t sell something you will fail!
Proposal and SaleDifferent technology solutions will be required for each segment
Create a winning sales message
Use a value proposition
Uncover your customer’s hidden concerns
Ask for the order
Provide solutions for their pain points
Be their business partner
Sample Question
Sample Question
Success
Now you are ready!
Go pass the exam as step one of your SBSC journey!
The Power of a System
Having a real system is what makes sales happen
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Microsoft Business and Technology Assessment
Toolkit
What you need to know to be successful
Why Assessments?
Create a foundation for lifelong client relationships
Understand their business – short and long term business goals
Build win-win relationships “Peel the onion” and create a source of
ongoing opportunities that continues to grow
Get a seat in their “boardroom” for decision making processes
Gain insights into how they do business every day
Business Opportunities in Small Business
Opportunity is NOWHERE
Opportunity is NO WHERE
Opportunity is NOW HERE
Perspective makes all the difference in the world
Business Opportunities in Small Business
Business Services
InfrastructureInstallation andMaintenance
CustomizedClient and Server
Software
Installation of LOB
Software
Configurationof LOB
Software
RequirementsAnalysis
Business ProcessAnalysis
Entry Points
Technology Services
Source: IDC
New Opportunities to Leverage – One Example
What’s New in the Toolkit? Design Concepts
Templates targeting different sizes of end users and focus areas for assessment
Ability to customize the assessment Ability to create and add new questions Expand the question bank to cover more areas
that impact SMB clients Self-updating feature that enables the toolkit to
automatically check for and download new revisions
Built upon InfoPath 2007 to provide a more robust platform for growth
Toolkit Readiness Center – online resource to all things partner around the toolkit
NEW
What the Toolkit and Readiness Center Contain
Six templates for Business Assessments Three templates for Technical Assessments One template for Vista One template for Office 2007 One template for Mobility One template for Messaging One template for SWOT Three-year planning template Sample proposal template Customizable sales and marketing tools Datasheets, presentations, white papers and more
Assessment Steps Perform the appropriate assessment(s) Create an executive-level deliverable
High level summary Designed to call attention to areas of concern
Review summary to prioritize Have client determine focus Need to identify available budget
Create solution proposal to address needs Keep it simple Break it into sections they can “eat”
Build a 3-year plan Living document Continue to go back and adapt
Defining and Marketing Your Assessment Offering
Defining Your Offer What are you going to do?
Type of assessment and deliverable Follow-up activities
Business assessment – never give it away Free means little or no value to many Make it free without calling it free
Rebate back cost toward services Provide a gift to the prospect upon completion
Technical assessment – always has value $500 - $5,000 being charged by partners Pricing depends on deliverable being presented
Before You Are in the Door
Prepare your prospect Set proper expectations before the visit Provide documents to gather information ahead
of the assessment Gain access to the right resources – need the
owner for 15-30 minutes Prepare yourself
Do your homework Know the toolkit well – it is a guide – not the main
event Know what you are planning to provide for a
deliverable so you can gather the information necessary
Before You Are in the Door
Practice a few times You need to be able to read people and adapt the
conversation Understand all the questions you have selected
so there are no surprises Add questions that are important for your
company to ask Set aside proper time
For small businesses – 1-2 hours on-site with 2-4 hours in prep and reporting
For larger businesses – 2-4 hours on-site with 8-12 hours in prep and report
https://partner.microsoft.com/assesssmbneeds
Ready for Action
Now That You Are in the Door
The key to delivering the right solution is to fully grasp your prospects’ business Understand their business Dig deep for their key pain points Introduce short-term solutions but drive toward
long-term planning Key areas of the business assessment Goal is to understand the prospect so you
can create a solution that is customized to their particular situation and needs
Find the Pain
This Stuff Really Works Partner Testimonial – Mitch
Miller Dynamic Computer, Topeka KS
“It's amazing how many additional opportunities we uncover when we do a Technology Assessment. The customer feels like we've really built a partnership, instead of just a computer company trying to sell them a bunch of hardware and software. Our salespeople have a complete list of opportunities to solve, not just stuff to sell.”
Impact of an Assessment Customer Testimonial – Bob Irr,
Barker Implement “The assessment process has helped us identify and
eliminate basic shortcomings that existed within our IT systems. We had potential problems that we were not aware of. In every case we were shown the potential issue, and then we were part of the process of deciding which items needed attention and with what priority. The assessment has helped us to define a vision for how we want to use technology and with this vision we have helped our company be more efficient, productive and profitable.”
Performing theTechnical
Assessment
Technical Assessment Step by Step
Technical Assessment Impact Shortens the sales cycle
Do a complete assessment, complete proposal Creates a more professional image
Reports change customer impressions Opens a broader/deeper communication
channel The partner knows much more about their
business Technical Assessment for the IT guy
Involve the technical guru and make him part of the process
Assessments are a good filter for customers Lets you weed out the undesirable customers If they won’t pay for this, they likely are not
serious
Why a SWOT Assessmentis Important
SWOT
S
O
W
T
Key Pieces of SWOT Advice
Practice on your own business first, then use the assessment within your business.
Perform the SWOT assessment after the Business assessment, or with clients that you know well.
Don’t rush to jump directly from a SWOT topic to an IT solution.
Remember that different people will have different opinions about the SWOT answers.
Don’t be afraid that business topics are beyond the reach of IT professionals.
Examples of Follow-up Questions
Could any of your weaknesses threaten your business?
What are the most positive opportunities facing your business?
What obstacles does your business face? What are the key trends in your industry? Why do prospects choose your business
over others? What resources are available for you to
leverage in growing your business? Do you have some examples of how
________________ is a S,W,O,T?
Customizing the Assessment
Building a Custom Template
Design of toolkit allows you to build your own customized templates
Can select groups of questions, general technology areas, or customer size
Also have the ability to add your own questions
Can customize the assessment to individual customers or specific focus areas for your business
Create and save customized templates for key verticals or product areas you want your team to assess
Ways to Improve Your Assessments and Deliverables
Utilize the Toolkit and Readiness Center
Three-year planning template
Sample proposal template
Server deployment guide
Customizable sales and marketing tools
Datasheets and presentations
White papers and more
Four Currently Posted; 6 will be soon
Using the Data to Close Business
Out the Door Analyze your findings
Review your notes immediately after the assessment process and fill in any details you may not have noted during the interview
Compare the clients’ current environment with their stated goals and needs
Carefully compare the needs of the client with the existing resources and determine the gaps
Remember to verify that all resources are compatible with your solution
Provide guidance in areas that are not up to industry standards or best practices based on your experience
Draft the executive overview report in plain English and use terminology that the audience will understand and relate to
Out the Door
Prepare your summary and connect the dots Build the solution proposal in logical
groupings Provide detail as to how these sections will
achieve the goals identified in the assessment
Build the proposal along side a 3-year IT plan which is based on the prioritization of the assessment findings by the prospect
Real Results
Out of 230 Survey Respondents over 4 months:
Approx. 72% of partners that conducted assessments closed new sales
Over 70% of prospects who participated in assessments converted to customers
Bigger deal size including other Microsoft products for small businesses
Source: SB Technology Assessment Toolkit Survey Mar-Jun, 2006
The really good stuff
Assess and Win
Plan of Action for New Partners
Join an SBS User Group or peer group http://ww2.htgmembers.com http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/en-us/wi
ndowssbs/usergroups.mspx
http://www.sbsgroups.com/default.aspx Attend industry events Attend TS2 and TechNet events Become an SBSC partner Organize and plan your marketing Participate in the Go To Market Campaigns Execute events, mailings, seminars, etc. Get involved with your local office
Summary
The Microsoft Business and Technology Assessment Toolkit enables you to: Understand your clients’ business objectives Help clients understand their ongoing investment Propose the right technology solution Identify new opportunities Create the foundation for a long-term relationship Be a strategic partner, not just another computer
guy Download and use it:
https://partner.microsoft.com/assesssmbneeds
Sales and Marketing 101
What I need to know to make it work for me
Sales and marketing
Management
Finance and accounting
Service delivery
Inventory ordering
and control
Mowing the grass
The Many Hats We Wear
The Sales Role
Hunters look for opportunities to acquire new clients
Farmers continue to capitalize on opportunities in an existing client base
Hunter
Farmer
Target
The Customer Lifecycle
Vision
Vision is seeing the future
Vision is taking your passion and purpose and putting it
into a plan of action
Vision comes from dreaming dreams
Development Steps
Defines Your Answers Changes
Purpose Passion Why do you exist? Never
Principles Values What do you believe? Never
Picture Dream Where are you going? Periodically
Perspective VisionWhat do you see in your
future? Periodically
ProcessMission &Structure
How are you going to get there? Periodically
PlanActions & Objective
sWhat will you do today? Regularly
Pulse Success How are you doing? Regularly
Strategic Future by Tony Morgan
Steps to your Vision
Define Target Who is your customer?
Who are your existing customers? Who is your target customer? What defines an "ideal" customer prospect?
What is your value proposition? What is your value proposition to the customer? What kind of ROI can your customer expect? What pain are you eliminating?
How are you selling? What does the sales process look like? How will you reach the target customer? What does it cost to "acquire" a customer? What is your sales and marketing strategy?
Customer Expectations
What do we want?
Service!
When do we want it?
Now!
Where do we want it?
Any where,
any place, any time
Business is all about the relationship
Profitability is directly related to customer retention
Cost of acquisition of new customers is far more than cost of retention
= Customers Matter
Who really cares?
Market• Getting
mindshare• Have a plan –
schedule it• Multiple methods
• Direct mail• Electronic mail• Seminars• Large events• Newsletters
Sales and Marketing Management
Lead generatio
n
Lead conversio
n
Solution delivery
Customer satisfacti
on
Referral (lead)
generation
The Process of marketing and selling
The Challenge of Marketing
It takes time
Have to have a plan
Need consistent execution
Hard to measure
Requires a different skill set
Just not as fun as selling or installing
Can be effectively outsourced
Why a marketing plan?
Develop objectives to meet measureable goals
Develop strategies to achieve objectives
Develop and implement tactics to support strategies
Select strategies that fit your market, product/service mix and resources.
Marketing Resources
Leverage vendor investments to be successful marketing as a partner PartnerReach Microsoft Partner Events Microsoft Across America Van Click to Attend Microsoft Custom Collateral Tool Distributor resources provided by Ingram
(CAP funds, DFE, BDM) Performance Based Market Development
Funds Field resources from MS
Assess• Systematic way to help a client evaluate
their situation• Creates a deep and lasting relationship• Continual source of opportunity – peel the
onion• Allows the client to budget and make
strategic investments
Build a Plan
Stages in Customer Bonding
Awareness bonding - make the customer aware of your firm's product or service
Identity bonding - the customer begins to identify with your firm's product or service
Relationship bonding - customer move from an arm's-length relationship to an interactive one
Community bonding - company brings its customers into relationships with one another based on their shared interest in the firm's products and services
Richard Cross and Janet Smith in Customer Bonding
Educate Newsletters
Interactive Viral Simple to Modify Easily Tracked Targeted/Personalized
Lunch & Learns Seminars Vendor Events Joint Sales Calls with Vendors
Marketing Idea E-Newsletters
Monthly newsletter emailed Purpose is to educate and
create awareness Use Constant Contact to
measure success – tracks click throughs
Service we offer to other partners – currently over 110 partners reaching over 100,000 end users
Take Control Quote from Tom Peters, management
guru
“Don’t just listen to the consumer and react; lead the consumer”
Our role is to educate the customer around the technologies that will positively impact their business and then lead them to the place where they want to pay you to procure and implement them in their business
Acquire
Resist the urge to sell a client what they ask for
Make sure they fit your target profile
Once you have them as a client – keep them for life
Goal = LIFELONG CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Invest in Tools
CRM/Service Management Connectwise
Quoting Quotewerks
Accounting Dynamics
Managed Services Zenith Infotech Kaseya
Implement
Standards = become predictable Same every time
Installation Customer experience Billing Support process
Document in detail Inform continually Interact
Many different faces throughout the process
Train Structured
Have a plan Schedule it Communicate it clearly Charge for it
Continual Create an expectation of continued
growth with the solution Professional
Have syllabus, learning objectives and surveys
Maintain
Quality of service is what keeps a customer
Build business with customer loyalty The customer is always right. Be honest with your customers. If you
can’t do something, be honest about it
Add value by bringing ideas that will help move their business forward and lead to growth
The HTS Client Relationship
Type of Service
Time and Materials Block Time Managed Complete
Characteristic React Maintain Direct Control
RelationshipAd Hoc(Playing the field)
Advisor(Dating)
Consultant(Engaged)
Business Partner
(Married)
Risk Client Client Centric
Service Partner Centric
Service Partner
View Cost Center
Efficient Cost Center
Business Enabler
Strategic Success Factor
Speed of Change Months Weeks Days Minutes
Process Chaotic Reactive Proactive Agile
Measure Do routine surveys
• Electronic• Phone by someone other than the normal company
contacts Record information to build history Respond quickly to any issues Create a system to track resolution Have executive management involved in
monitoring satisfactionGoal is not customer
satisfactionGoal is customer SUCCESS
Evaluate
Go back on at least a quarterly basis to continue to execute the plan
Use three year plan to keep client focused
Update the plan at least twice a year
Customer Relationships are a process. You have to continue to stay disciplined to take the relationship farther. It does not happen automatically.
Benchmark
Get involved in affinity or peer groups to compare your business with others
Share best practice ideas Learn industry trends and
coming opportunities Avoid mistakes made by others
Peer Interaction
Distributor Affinity Groups-Venturetech Network (Ingram)-Tech Select (Tech Data)-SMB Alliance (Ingram)Membership Groups-The ASCII Group Inc.-ComptiaFocused Peer Groups-True Profits Group-Heartland Tech Group Industry Events and Activites
- User Groups- Xchange- Vision Events
ww2.htgmembers.com
Execute
The Execution Gap is the greatest unaddressed issue in the business world today.
- Ram Charan
Author – Execution The Discipline of Getting Things
Done
Other Areas to Consider
Things you need to address to be successful long term
Quoting
Value of a quality Quote Partner Customer
Quoting tools Quoting techniques Quoting process Integration with 3rd party
resources and systems
Scoping work Value of a Scope of Work
Partner Customer
Scoping process between Sales and Service
Scoping document options Internal reviews External reviews Sign-offs and change orders
Vendor management programs
Vendor selection processVendor programsVendor engagement process
Vendor trainingVendor reporting
Pricing and gross margin
LaborProductManaged ServicesHow is pricing determined?What are common grow margins for the industry?
Compensation
Base salaryBonus or commission programsSpecial incentivesConsistency
Sales team management
Split responsibilities Dedicated Sales Manager Employee goals and objectives Employee reviews Coaching Training Regular meetings
Metrics and Key Performance Indicators
Activity points Appointments per week Average deal size Gross margin dollars Campaign ROI
CRM tools
Standalone applications ACT Goldmine
Integrated systems AutoTask ConnectWise SalesForce.com
Thank You
Q & A
