paullloyd

Business Growth Challenges: Why Most Companies Get Stuck

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:26:01 GMT

When Growth Stalls Look Inside the Walls

Every business owner desires growth: more clients, more revenue, and more opportunities. So, you set plans, forecast, invest in sales and marketing, and discuss scaling your business. But then reality hits like a brick wall. The momentum dies, progress grinds to a halt, and you're left spinning your wheels in frustration, wondering where it all went wrong.

More often than not, when I delve into these situations with clients, I discover that the root cause isn’t the strategy, the market, or the product

It’s the team

The Reality of Business Growth Plateaus

Here’s the uncomfortable truth that many business owners don't want to face: the biggest obstacle to your growth may be the people who are already inside your business.

They are not bad people. They aren’t necessarily under performers. They might be loyal, long-serving, and well-liked by everyone. However, they have built their roles and work habits around maintaining the status quo. Any threat to this comfort zone becomes a problem.

Technical teams often view growth as a threat; more clients mean more tickets, increased stress, and longer hours. Administrative staff may raise concerns when processes evolve, volumes increase, or expectations shift. The noise of resistance grows louder but is rarely voiced openly. It’s subtle, quiet a slow drag on momentum.

A Real-World Example

I recall a time when our company was experiencing rapid growth, consistently achieving 30% year-on-year growth across multiple locations. The model was working, and the market was receptive. However, one branch wasn’t keeping pace.

We examined the numbers, the market and the sales efforts. Nothing seemed amiss.

Once we got involved directly, the situation became clear: the issue lay within the administrative team. The sales administrator had settled into a routine that perfectly matched the current workload, creating no pressure or challenges. As we added new clients or deals, we encountered delays, errors, and numerous reasons why "the system" couldn't handle the changes.

In contrast, another branch had an administrator managing twice the volume without complaint. The same software, the same processes, but a different mindset.

That was the real issue, not a lack of capability, but complacency.

When to Pivot Your Growth Strategy

When someone has been in a role for an extended period, they often tailor their day around what works for them. They automate their energy and minimise friction, mastering “just enough” to get by. This is acceptable until you decide to grow.

Growth demands flexibility and requires individuals who can adapt, evolve, stretch, and collaborate in new ways. If your business has grown but your team hasn’t, you’ll encounter friction.

Most owners mistakenly attribute this friction to external issues:

- "We need better systems."

- "The market's quieter this year."

- "Sales haven't landed yet."

In reality, the problems are internal; they are behavioural and cultural.

Red Flags to Watch For

If growth feels more challenging than it should, keep an eye out for these warning signs:

- Routine over progress: If every Monday looks the same as the last, something’s wrong.

- Growth causes groans: New clients should be exciting. If they are seen as burdens, you have a cultural problem.

- Different results, same resources: If one team produces twice the output of another, the issue isn’t the tools, it’s the attitude.

- Excuses and inertia: "We've always done it this way" is not a valid reason; it’s a warning.

5 Steps to Support Continuous Growth

The first step is to recognise the issue. Many owners are too close to their team or too emotionally invested to see it clearly.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Audit behaviours, not just performance: Identify who is adaptable, who embraces change, and who quietly resists it.

2. Challenge the status quo: Ask tough questions and dig into the "why" behind certain practices.

3. Set clear growth expectations: Communicate that the business is moving forward and that everyone is expected to keep up.

4. Support the right people: Invest in those who demonstrate the right mindset. Coach or reassign those who don’t.

5. Be willing to reset: If someone no longer fits the future vision of the business, don’t let past loyalty hold you back.

Creating a Growth-Focused Company Culture

Growth isn’t just a number on a whiteboard; it represents a cultural shift. It requires more than just sales and marketing; it needs alignment throughout the organisation from the front line to the back office, and from engineering to finance. Everyone must pull in the same direction.

This alignment occurs only when your people not only engage with growth but also buy into it wholeheartedly.

Here’s the truth:

Even the best strategy will fail in a business designed for comfort. In contrast, a business built for adaptability, energy, and ownership is the one that scales.

So, if you find yourself stuck, don’t just examine the pipeline.

Look at the people.

Inside the walls is where the real work begins.

If you would like to know more about planning and winning new business why not join our exclusive Sellerly Sales Clubs?

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

Why Customers Stop Buying and How to Avoid Unnecessary Losses.

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 11:32:01 GMT

Have you ever lost a client without even knowing they were looking around?

For even the most “on the ball” Salesperson this is probably a very real reality. You lose clients without knowing they were looking . Less than 4% of your customers will tell you if they are unhappy so you may never know if you have a customer on the fence. There is something very British about not complaining about poor service, so here we take a look at the r easons why your customers may leave and change to another competitor.

Why Clients leave...

Often this is through no fault of your own…

• 4% of clients either "die", move away or develop other relationships

• 9% of the time it is for competitive reasons, they grow too large for you to handle or their requirements change, and you can no longer service them.

• 5% of clients change management or ownership and use their other existing relationships.

But often it IS your fault…

• 14% of clients leave due to Service/Product dissatisfaction. You did not keep their ‘service’ up to date, and a competitor introduces an innovative range of services.

• 68% stop buying because of a perception that you have lost interest.

So, what actions can I take to retain those 68%?

The top priority is to prevent any hint of a perceived attitude of indifference on your part so be sure to;

1. Ensure you thank them for your business once the sale is complete.

2. Schedule regular emails that thank customers again for their business, and be sure to repeat where/ how they go/get for further service and support and make offers of new products.

3. Schedule regular meetings with existing clients using your CRM system.

4. Regularly treat all clients as new business using procedures like site surveys and meetings involving all the key players in the client meetings to review progress to date , discussions of the product and more.

5. Determine the customer’s next need and remind them of your company , its products and services by email, phone, or direct mail.

The main point here is to ensure your customers feel appreciated and those that feel looked after are unlikely to fall into the 68%.

Plan for customer losses – be proactive

Are you guilty of any of the below;

• You send an invoice each month but have no other contact

• You believe service is so good they would not look anywhere else

• There’s no contact unless something is going wrong

• You keep passing their account to the newest member of staff to manage

One thing is a given, you will lose clients along the way , so if you answered yes to one or more of the above it is good practice to put a plan in place to replace them , however, you may not feel confident in putting together a thoroughly planned sales campaign or maybe you just don’t have the budget, but it’s KEY that you plan something NOW .

Some low-key low-cost ideas

Invest in a good CRM system to enter contacts and opportunities so that they are not lost and forgotten, Build an opportunity Calendar. Use the system in all aspects of your business as your one truth.

Have a Referral Scheme - most companies start in a small way with the owner (usually technical) having a couple of contracts, and then there’s growth over time through recommendation and referral. There comes a time when this comes to an end. So, we look at a referral scheme and offer a bottle of wine or a case of something. This tends to be a token gesture and as such delivers very little. So why not offer something of real value like a 10% discount on their support contract for each new customer they refer . A referral would be when they introduce you to a prospect , or maybe organise your first meeting. Not just a name and address on the back of a scrap of paper.

Regular Networking Events - You need to be seen so that other business owners know who you are. There are many of these events; don’t get overwhelmed, just set yourself a goal of attending at least one event each month. Build a small database of the people you meet and send them regular updates and news.

Executive Briefings - Hold regular executive briefings with your clients; invite them to bring a friend. These do not have to be an expensive or big event just a small room with a few people discussing a proper business issue.

Social Media - Build a following and regularly feed interesting and informative news.

The key to achieving long-term success in Sales is to see it not as a single event but as a process over time. You need to take a view over a least 12-month period. It takes time and effort to generate success. Each time you do anything, the circumstance and environment will be different, and therefore it is not unreasonable to expect a different outcome. If you don’t plan to replace the customers that you lose on a yearly basis, then you will eventually end up with a large hole in revenues or no revenues.

If you would like to know more about planning and winning new business why not join our exclusive Sellerly Sales Clubs?

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

ALSO - Did you know I am a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper?

Here is your bee fact of the day;

£690 million is the mind-boggling amount that insect pollination is worth to UK crops each year. 76% of globally important commercial crops depend on insect pollination, which equates to 1 in 3 mouthfuls of food! (Soil Association)

The Four Pivotal Stages of Sales Maturity (and Excellence) Part 2

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 11:04:08 GMT

Stages 3 - 4 - Beginning to Scale Up to Scaling Out

So, in the last article, we looked at the two “starter” stages for a Sales business when it becomes successful and starts growing. Now we look at the pivotal maturing stages entitled loosely Beginnings of Scaling and Scale-Out.

These stages occur when a f ew key things are met/achieved , usually, the business has an increasing number of teams and key sales roles in the organisation, 3-10+ Account Executives, multiple Sales Reps, and a growing Management team . Have a look below at the infographic and see where your organisation is measuring up.

Where do you fit? How Sales Mature and Excellent are you / your organisation?

Concerned about your progression and want to level up?

For organisations entering the much more complex stages of Beginnings of Scaling and Scale-Out that need an extra hand, or an e xtra level up of Sales Expertise , Sellerly can help at every stage of your sales journey, have a look at what we can offer;

Scheduled Calls with recordings, notes and actions
Two Quarterly review meetings
Build an Initial Sales Plan
Retained MSP Business Advice
Service (via call or email) with 24-hour response SLA.
Plan Sales Lead Generation Campaign
Programme to implement 'Sales Ready'
Sales Pipeline monitoring and review
Sales Support and Advice for Major Opportunities
Zomentum License for Pipeline Management
Membership of the Sellerly Sales Club (Service can be augmented with additional time or fixed-price projects.)
Proposal and bid vetting
We work with up to 5 people from your company

What could you do in your business? The possibilities are entirely within your grasp, you just have to reach for them.

If you need help along the way, you know where we are.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

The Four Pivotal Stages of Sales Maturity (and Excellence) Part 1

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 09:54:41 GMT

Stages 1 -2 - From a Founder Seller to a Small Sales Team

So, congratulations, your Sales business is successful and growing, but is it maturing? Sales planning, whether at a company, department, or team level, is necessary for hitting targets and providing a framework for the whole business to strive towards, but do you know where you are in your Sales Maturity? A sales skills maturity model helps you evaluate your current sales skills and identify the areas that need improvement.

Everyone needs a plan in their life, and anyone in Sales DEFINITELY needs a plan so we’ve put together this Infographic that details out the stages and milestones an organisation n eeds to typically follow to progress to Sales Excellence and Maturity . It’s a lot of information so we’ve focussed this week on Stages 1 and 2 only – Founder Seller to Small Sales Team , and our next blog will focus on Stages 3 and 4 – Beginnings of Scaling Up and Scale Out.

Where do you fit? How Sales Mature and Excellent are you / your organisation?

Concerned about your progression and want to level up?

For Founder Sellers and Small Teams that need an extra hand and/or an extra level up of Sales Expertise Sellerly can help at every stage of your Sales journey, have a look at what we offer;

• Twice monthly Scheduled Calls with notes and actions

• Retained Sales and Commercial Advice via Teams

• Build of Initial Sales Plan

• Plan Sales Lead Generation Campaign

• Programme to implement 'Sales Ready'

• Quarterly review meeting

• Sales Pipeline monitoring and review

• Sales Support and Advice for Major Opportunities

• Zomentum License for Pipeline Management

• Membership of the Sellerly Sales Club

• Proposal and bid vetting

What could you do in your business? The possibilities are entirely within your grasp, you just have to reach for them.

If you need help along the way, you know where we are.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

Winning £1,000,000 New Account Business

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 14:09:05 GMT

Where are those New Clients? Over recent years I have spent a lot of time meeting and working with Managed Service Providers / VARs, and when discussing the biggest challenges in their business, it always comes back to the same thing over and over. WINNING NEW CUSTOMERS.

This is a challenge that seems to affect any company of any size , whether their turnover is £500k or £40m. They need to win new contracts and new customers. Most of these businesses have reached the level that they have through recommendations and referrals or in the case of the bigger ones some acquisitions as well, rarely it seems going out and actively generating an opportunity and a sale.

Your business will not survive if all you do is process renewals

In my previous blog, “Your business will not survive if all you do is process renewals…” I discussed some simple steps you can take to ensure growth through effective CRM.

So, if you have taken those steps and are now able to truly grow and are ready to go out and find those new clients, what should you be aiming for? What, where when and who?

Winning new customers should become the premier currency within your business

A conversation with one MD to try and understand how he had won their customers resulted in finding out that the top customer which accounted for 25% of the company’s business was an enquiry from Yellow Pages looking for a reseller a few years before. Lucky but not sustainable.

If you want to be winning new business on an ongoing basis then this must become ingrained in the culture of your business. Every decision that is made within the company should be made from the point of view of ‘how is that going to improve our ability to win new business’. New business should become the premier currency within your business.

A few ideas on how to make it work:

Build a list of the top 100 target customers
Pay significantly more for New Customer Wins and business
Build an elite new win team (Maybe Virtual)
Have a sales pay plan that rewards new wins
Set new wins into your business planning
Put the Top 10 targets on the walls of your office so everyone can see
Research and build a plan for each target
Use your social media to research key customers, follow them and get to know them
Manage and monitor the progress
Make a Senior Director responsible for Growth

Pulling this together is a significant investment and unlikely to be cheap, but the return that you will gain will pay back many times over. This is the investment that just keeps on giving.

There will be a growth margin monthly
There will be growth in the value of your business from the increased recurring revenue
There will be growth in value to your business due to the ability to demonstrate growth and finally the ability to win.

If you are not comfortable putting this together because you do not have the experience then we can help. It can sound daunting but it is essential business planning. Let’s look at the basics below for planning this.

A New Business Culture and Where do we go next?

Let's assume you have started developing a 'New Business Culture' aka Winning new customers as set out above. But where do we go next?

We need a plan
We need a campaign
We need to decide what we want to achieve
We need to do some maths

Let us say we set the aim of securing £250,000 of new contracted business within the next year, which will be entirely incremental to our current revenue. This will consist of additional recurring subscription-based revenue, which is the most valuable.

After analysing our current customer base, we have discovered that the average spend and number of users need to be higher . To address this issue, we need to adopt a more targeted approach that will increase their spending . We aim to attract fi ve new customers with an average of 100 users and spend approximately £50,000 annually . Achieving this goal will enable us to improve our profitability.

We now need to decide whom we will sell to; again, let us look at our existing customers to see which industry sectors we have in-depth domain knowledge of . Let us assume that we have several clients from the retail sector and a good understanding of what they look for, so we now need to get a list of retailers within our geography with around 100 users.

Building the list combines b uying data and researching using some or all available resources. You need a list of no more than 300 contacts (your marketing universe). Enter these into your CRM system so that we can use the information. Speak to your customers, build case studies, and get testimonials. Build an industry-specific section on your website.

You are now positioned to start your activity; there are many ways to do this. You will need to find a reason to talk , a hook. Look for the companies on LinkedIn and follow them to get visibility of their activity and areas of interest. Do they have a YouTube channel? Where are they developing their business?

You will need to speak to your prospect, and how you get that conversation is down to you. My advice would be to pick up the phone, if you effectively use social media properly, you will get some incoming calls, but it would be a surprise if you get enough.

So, we have 300 prospects; it is then fair to assume that 100 will be looking for something within the next year , so we are looking for a conversation with 5% of these . That should be possible. You then need to keep the momentum rolling, and you will then find you get m ore customers next year with less effort as you will have done most of the groundwork.

Sales in a process, not an Event

You will see from this that putting a plan and business culture like this all together takes time and considerable effort, but when you look after the new clients for three years because of the recurring nature of the business, this is a £1,000,000 campaign.

What does that add to the exit value of your business? AND This does not include any additional wallet share you win over the three years.

What could you do in your business? The possibilities are entirely within your grasp, you just have to reach for them.

If you need help along the way, you know where we are.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

Your business will not survive if all you do is process renewals…

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:18:48 GMT

All businesses need to win new clients to stay in business even before they think of growing, no company can remain in business just processing renewals. And it is a cold, hard fact that you WILL lose customers every year.

Losing customers is often through no fault of your own but can be for varying reasons;

4% of customer losses are for reasons that they either stop trading, move away, or develop other Sales relationships
9% of losses are for competitive reasons, they grow too large for you to handle or their requirements change, and you can no longer service them.
5% of losses are related to change management or ownership and use of other pre-existing relationships.
14% of losses are due to Service/Product dissatisfaction. You did not keep their ‘service’ up to date, and a competitor introduced a more innovative range of services.
And a huge 68% stop buying because of a perception that you have lost interest.

Does the below sound like some of your customer relationships?

You send an invoice each month but no other contact
You believe your service is so good they would not look anywhere else
You do not reach out for contact unless something is going wrong
You keep passing their account to the newest member of staff to manage.

If you answered mostly yes, and if you are serious about growing your company then you need some internal adjustments both physically and mentally for managing existing clients alongside a plan to replace no-fault client losses.

However, perhaps you do not feel confident enough as yet to put together a thoroughly planned sales campaign or perhaps just do not have the budget. But given the above, you know however that you need to be doing something.

Here are some low-key low-cost ideas for effective customer relationship management;

Invest in a good CRM system to enter contacts and opportunities so that they are not lost and forgotten.
Build an opportunity Calendar. Use the system in all aspects of your business as your one truth.
Have a Referral Scheme : Most companies start in a small way with the owner (usually technical) having a couple of contracts, and then growth occurs over time through recommendations and referrals. There will naturally be an end to this, however, and something like a token gesture of a bottle/case of wine actually delivers very little over time. So instead, why not something of real value, say a 10% discount on their support contract for each new customer they refer? To be clear - a referral would be when they introduce you to a prospect, and maybe organise your first meeting. Not just a name and address on the back of a business card.
Attend Regular Networking Events: You need to be visible and tuned in so that other business owners know who you are and vice versa. There are many of these events and it is a good idea to set yourself a goal of attending at least one event each month. Build a small database of the people you meet and send them regular updates and news.
Executive Briefings: Hold regular executive briefings with your clients; invite them to bring a friend. These do not have to be expensive or big events just a small room with a few people discussing a proper business issue.
Social Media : Build a following and regularly feed interesting and informative news to your contacts, tailoring content to their specific needs and companies.

I tried these and it didn’t work for me…

Now for those of you with a technical background , I can hear you saying ‘ I tried that once and it did not work.'

I think that because you are technical problem solvers; it is not u nreasonable for you to try something and if it doesn’t work, then you move on swiftly and try something else . It makes no sense to do the same thing twice as you are not likely to get a different result. You tend to live in a black-and-white world.

The key to winning sales is that it is not a single event but a process over time. You need to take a view over a least 12-month period; It takes time and effort to generate success. Each time you do anything, the circumstances and environment will be different, and therefore it is not unreasonable to expect a different outcome.

Effective future planning for managing customer losses is an essential part of any successful business management plan , if you don’t have a replacement plan then you are letting down yourself and your business.

Speak to us if you find this daunting or challenging, we can help.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

WHY Is ‘Sales Forecasting’ a Dirty Word

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 09:55:54 GMT

Every company needs to do a sales forecast, whether weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Sales forecasts are an essential requirement for all stakeholders. Forecasting is a fundamental tool for businesses to plan, strategize, and make informed decisions. It helps them estimate future revenue, set goals, make informed business decisions, manage inventory, and supply chain, and improve cash flow management

A good forecast means no surprises in store, funds in the bank and stock in the warehouse . Healthy forecasts protect companies from tough competitive and market conditions and position them better to adapt, plan, and thrive in the present and future.

Based on current industry data and research, it seems most Sales leaders lack confidence in their forecasts, as well as the expertise to improve them. Disorganised and non-formal forecasting processes are a likely culprit.

93% of sales leaders are unable to forecast revenue within 5% , even with two weeks left in the quarter.
67% of organizations lack a formalized approach to forecasting altogether.
80% of sales organisations DO NOT have a forecast accuracy of greater than 75% .
55% of sales leaders do not have high confidence in their forecasting accuracy.

(Stats from CSO Insights and Gartner)

Sales forecasting accuracy is a contentious point…

The average current sales forecasting accuracy is in the order of around 50% , so if you were to toss a coin for each of your deals heads you win, or tails you lose. The odds are therefore the same with forecasting, very much not great.

The inaccuracy is a concern and should be handled properly and carefully with everyone fully aware of the levels of accuracy , otherwise, companies may end up lacking enough money in the bank to run payroll and having the wrong stock levels in the warehouse. This can, in turn, lead to poor customer service and, therefore, loss of clients. Then, loss of jobs and cash flow problems. In extreme cases, it can lead to the company going out of business.

So why is this such a problem, why do Salespeople not know what is happening with their customers, why can’t they get this simplest thing right?

This is a common complaint in the industry and there is no magic solution/answer. There is perhaps an assumption that the sales staff know how to do this instinctively, i.e., if they are talented in Sales then this will translate to being good at forecasting said sales. In truth, there is every likelihood there will have been no formal training, and no one potentially has explained to them that the forecast is almost the most important part of their job. Accurate forecasting is the difference between a professional salesperson and a snake-oil seller. Expectations therefore need to be realistic and openly discussed with the whole team.

So how to plan for the best possible forecasting?

A company should design a sales process that fits their particular business needs;

This process must have clear and definable stages with milestones and qualifiers that are known and understood by everyone in the company.
This process defines the common language in which deals are discussed , so everyone has a clear understanding of where we are and what needs to be done, and then everyone can get involved and help.
This process must match your business requirements , there is no one-size-fits-all-all and can be as simple or as complex as required.
Each stage needs qualification and disqualification so that if a deal isn’t working out and you are going to lose, then you lose it quickly and you are not wasting further valued time. (We tend to spend more time on deals we lose than on deals we win)
Every salesperson should take pride in their forecast and accept responsibility for its accuracy.
And finally, forecast accuracy should be measured as a part of the KPI / bonus plan , and perhaps there should be a competition amongst quota bearers with a monthly prize to acknowledge the importance of forecasting to the business.

Accurate Forecasting makes ‘Selling a Profession.’

There should always be a weekly management review of each foreca st ; this can be a training exercise for the team or just a way of encouraging the winning of new business. Everyone should have a complete grasp of the details of their deals and the stages and timescales, then the experience and insight of the management can be taken properly into account, and then it becomes a wholly joint effort.

The forecast for the team is t he responsibility of the team leader . Once the numbers have been agreed upon, then it can be seen if there is a g ap between the projection and sales quota . If this is the case, then a plan needs to be worked on how that gap should be closed. Ideally, these sorts of discussions are best held in a Monday morning meeting, i.e., a time to stop and make everyone think about the most significant activity for the week, right at the beginning of said week.

In our experience, if you include people from other departments in the review (call) then they become more engaged and start to see the issues and offer support so that business delivery is shared and not just down to the Sales dept.

Accurate forecasts are important because everyone else in the business depends on them to help do their jobs.

#sales #businessdevelopment #salesmanagement #salestrategy

If this is a problem you recognise and resonate with, then maybe we should be talking.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

I am an MSP and I want to become a Trusted Advisor.

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 12:58:28 GMT

A Trusted Advisor in the MSP market space is aiming for a long-term relationship, not short-term gain, and not to be seen as just a vendor, or worse still, the IT guy! So surely all TSP/MSPs want to be seen as trusted advisors to their clients, with the obvious benefits of repeat business, referrals, and introductions to your client’s other professional advisors. You do not need to “sell” your products or expertise when you are the Trusted Advisor.

But have you put the time and effort in to be able to understand their business and what they are looking to achieve? Are you a true Trusted Advisor?

Here are a few things you need to do to aspire to be Trusted (With a capital T) …

1. Build expertise: Develop a deep understanding of your area of focus. Build up your knowledge and skills so that you can offer valuable insights and guidance to your clients.

2. Be ethical: Maintain high ethical standards and always act in your client's best interests. This will help you establish credibility and build a reputation for integrity.

3. Continuously improve: Always look for ways to improve. Solicit feedback from your clients or colleagues, and use it to adjust and refine your approach.

4. Focus on long-term goals: A trusted advisor is focused on long-term success, not short-term gains. This means always looking out for your client's best interests, even sacrificing immediate benefits.

5. Be honest transparent AND confidential: Honesty and transparency are critical to building trust. Always be upfront about your capabilities and limitations; do not be afraid to admit when you do not know something. Equally, confidentiality is key here.

6. Objective Perspective: Trusted Advisors offer an objective viewpoint. They are not influenced by personal biases or conflicts of interest that could compromise their advice

7. Client-Centric Approach: Trusted Advisors prioritize the needs and goals of their clients. They take the time to understand their client's unique situations and tailor their advice accordingly.

8. Communication Skills: Finally, they are effective communicators, able to explain complex concepts in a way that clients can understand. They also listen actively to their client's concerns and questions.

The different types of client relationships

In the book Trusted Advisor, David Maister, Charles Green, and Robert Galford discuss four different types of client relationships, you can evaluate your own stages of relationships using the reference guides below and see where you are and how to evolve.

There are four types of relationships that a service professional can have with their clients.

1. The first type involves being seen primarily as a product vendor or someone who performs one-off tasks. This type of relationship is the easiest to master and usually occurs at the beginning of a client relationship. It is an opportunity to introduce and build upon your expertise.

2. The second type involves being viewed as someone who focuses on solving general problems using a range of products and services. At this level, clients begin to see that you possess capabilities beyond the technical skills required to execute the tasks they initially hired you to perform. As a result, you may become a reliable resource and problem solver for more in-depth issues.

3. The third type involves being turned to as a professional who can put issues into context and provide perspective. At this stage, your ability to offer advice and identify client issues is highly valued. This can lead to transitioning to the level of Trusted Advisor.

4. The fourth type involves being the go-to person for clients when issues arise. Once you have reached the level of Trusted Advisor, virtually all issues—personal or professional—are on the table for discussion and exploration. You are there (or called upon) for times of great accomplishments, triumphs, defeats, and crises. This level can be the most time-consuming but also the most rewarding.

Sellerly has been and continues to be a Trusted Advisor to businesses large and small over the years, why not learn from our expertise and experience and join our exclusive Sales Clubs and achieve the success you deserve on your terms, and maximise your potential today.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

Demystifying Lead Gen in the MSP Marketspace

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 14:17:40 GMT

What is Lead Gen?

“Lead Generation”, or “Lead Gen” for short, is the process of identifying and cultivating potential customers for a business's products or services. It is essential for businesses as it can turn interested parties into paying customers which in turn helps to create a stable customer base and drive sales, this then creates an ongoing cycle where customers give good reviews, which in turn results in customer loyalty and new business from that.

Lead Gen also allows for a better understanding of a company's key customers and target markets, their needs and preferences thus allowing for more personalisation of products, services and marketing communications.

Outsourcing and Lead Gen

Outsourcing Lead Gen is a hot topic (and a contentious one) in the MSP community and one I frequently am asked about. In short (well long) it can be both beneficial and challenging, depending on multiple factors. But a lot of it comes down to you and your choices, here is a quick overview of the general pros and cons and then I’ll chat about MSP-specific benefits and disbenefits after.

Pros of Outsourcing Lead Gen:

1. Cost Savings: no in-house team required, less investment in hiring, training, and managing staff.

2. Instant Expertise: Access to professionals with extensive experience and knowledge in lead generation and the latest learnings.

3. Scalability /Flexibility : Businesses can upscale as needed and downscale as flexibly as required, valuable when just starting or entering new markets.

4. Better use of resources: Businesses can focus on their core strategic initiatives rather than dedicating time and effort to lead generation activities.

Cons of Outsourcing Lead Generation:

1. Poor quality leads: Due to a lack of understanding of the business's needs or poor selection of the provider or not allocating enough budget, this is the no.1 pitfall.

2. Communication Challenges: Working with an external team can sometimes lead to communication issues, especially if there are cultural or language barriers .

3. Data Security and Privacy Concerns: Sharing sensitive customer data with an external service provider introduces potential risks to data security and privacy. Businesses should establish clear protocols and agreements with the service provider to mitigate these concerns

Selecting the right Lead Gen providers

When looking for any Lead Gen providers, it’s important to understand it costs real money and there are no magic beans for a shortcut. You are selling a complex solution, not a simple transactional process, and these are very different ballgames.

When you start on the process, the costs are around £1500 per lead for MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) support contracts. However, this will drop as data gets better and you become better known to your provider/customers and vice versa.

My Top tips;

1. You need to be very specific about who you want to sell to and what you are selling. Sales is a moment in time, so you need to be there at that moment in time, which will require nurturing 'interest' until the moment in time.

2. Unless you are selling transactional products , you are unlikely to find someone today who is looking to buy tomorrow. The agencies generally do not understand this (or care..)

3. If you want a 'Lead gen' company for selling complex solutions , then you are looking for a different type of service. This will need to be calling and developing a relationship over time , 6-12 months at least.

4. Be aware that buying appointments is generally just a waste of money and simply helps the agency keep its data up to date.

5. There is a massive difference between “recommendation and referral” and “selling deliberately”. R&R tend to be ready to buy, and you are halfway there having had the referral. SD means reaching out in the dark and finding prospects, and developing them into the light before you can sell them anything.

The Managed-Service-Provider (MSP) Marketspace and Lead Gen

Generally, The MSP community is not sales experienced and therefore is slightly naive when it comes to sales and sales processes. This can lead to a lack of understanding of Lead Gen. Picking up the phone and contacting an agency and expecting them to collate a database of people looking to buy straight away might work in some industries but not the MSP space.

Lead Gen agencies typically sell appointments , and for them, if they get the appointment, it is a success but then the lead is most likely someone interested in buying, but in a year or more , therefore the MSPs who are expecting to be able to spend money on telemarketing and then produce instant business are always unhappy with the results that they get. Sales is a moment in time and they are rarely going to turn up in that moment in time having just been simply found .

Therefore, the expectations of the MSP IT company and the delivery from the telemarketing agency are almost without exception at odds with each other , and this is because one is selling appointments and if they get an appointment, they think it's a good job, and the other (MSP) is looking for almost ready-made orders. That said, the appointments typically will turn to business at a point in the future but during that time the lead will need to be nurtured and looked after and a relationship built and trust built. It is not a quick result .

So, what should I look for?

What you should be looking for is for a Lead Gen company to come up with r ecommendation and referral leads not simply leads. The big difference is that a simple lead is “somebody is interested in looking for something at some point in the future” and a referral lead is coming from “somebody who is looking to buy it now”.

Therefore, a good Lead Gen agency should understand the difference between these leads and fully understand the needs of your business now and in the future to be able to offer a successful and mutually satisfying Lead Gen solution and results.

Lead gen is not a mystic art. There is no magic involved. Just careful planning with regards to time and context and then execution. The quicker you want it, the more expensive it is.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

How do I Find my Niche / Target Market?

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:00:28 GMT

Finding your sales niche or target market involves a combination of research, analysis, and experimentation. Here are some steps you can take to discover and identify your ideal sales niche, and a best practice guide to what to do when you've correctly identified your target market.

• Understand your product or service: Start by thoroughly understanding what you offer. Identify its unique features, benefits, and value proposition. What do your Top 10 customers have in common? Why do they deal with you? How does your offer deliver results and outcomes? Where does your customer NEED your service to be successful, not just as a nice asset to have?

• Conduct market research: Perform comprehensive market research to identify potential customer segments. Explore demographics, psychographics, and consumer behaviours relevant to your product or service. Look for gaps in the market that align with your offering.

• Do a full competitor analysis: Study your competitors who are offering similar products or services. Identify their target markets and how they position themselves. Determine whether there are any untapped or underserved segments that you can focus on.

• Define your buyer personas: Create detailed profiles of your ideal customers - buyer personas. Consider factors such as age, gender, occupation, income level, interests, values, and problems. This will help you better understand who you should be targeting.

• Evaluate market size and potential: Assess the size and growth potential of different market segments. Look for segments that are large enough to sustain your business and have room for growth. Consider factors like market demand, competition, and profitability.

Once you’ve identified your target market;

• Test and refine: Once you have identified potential target markets, test your assumptions by conducting small-scale experiments or pilot projects. This could involve running targeted marketing campaigns, offering samples or trials, or conducting surveys and interviews. Gather feedback and analyse the results to refine your approach. We suggest creating a database of about 350-500 companies per company or salesperson and starting there with a Sales story aimed at the target.

• Monitor and adapt: Continuously monitor your sales and marketing efforts to track which segments are responding positively to your offering. Analyse data on customer acquisition, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction. Use this information to adapt your strategies and refine your target market further.

• Seek customer feedback: Engage with your customers to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points. Use surveys, feedback forms, social media, or direct conversations to gather insights. This feedback will help you tailor your sales approach and refine your niche.

Remember, finding the right sales niche may take time and experimentation. Stay open to learning from your experiences, be willing to adapt your strategies, and remain focused on providing value to your target market.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

The Importance of selecting a Target Market

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 11:40:15 GMT

“If you are looking to sell to everybody, you will end up selling nothing to nobody”

Six reasons why choosing your Niche/Target Market is so important

Having a target market is crucial for sales because it allows a Salesperson to focus their efforts and resources on a specific group of customers who are the most likely to be interested in and purchase their products or services. Here are some key reasons why having a target market is important in sales:

1. It is an efficient use of your time and resources : By identifying and understanding your target market, you can allocate your sales and marketing resources more effectively. Instead of trying to reach everyone, you can concentrate on reaching the specific group of people who are more likely to be converted into customers. This helps you save time, money, and effort by avoiding unnecessary expenditures on uninterested or unqualified prospects.

2. Tailored, effective messaging and communication : When you have a target market, you can customise your sales messages and communication to resonate with the specific needs, preferences, and problems faced by your ideal customers. This allows you to speak directly to their concerns and position your products or services as the best solution for their problems. Personalised and targeted messaging increases the likelihood of capturing their attention and generating sales leads.

3. Higher conversion rates = high profit potential: By focusing on a well-defined target market, you increase the chances of converting leads into customers. Since you are directing your sales efforts towards individuals or businesses who are already interested in what you have to offer, they are more likely to respond positively to your sales pitches and convert into paying customers. This improves your conversion rates and boosts overall sales effectiveness.

4. Improved customer satisfaction and retention: Understanding your target market enables you to align your offerings with their specific needs and preferences. By catering to their requirements, you can provide a better customer experience, which leads to higher customer satisfaction. Satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat buyers, provide positive referrals, and contribute to the growth of your business through word-of-mouth marketing, this in turn leads to personal and professional satisfaction.

5. Competitive advantage = minimal competition: Identifying and serving a target market effectively can give you / your business a competitive edge. By understanding your customers better than your competitors, you can deliver unique value propositions and differentiate yourself in the market. This helps you position your products or services as the preferred choice among your target audience, increasing your market share and reducing the impact of competitors.

6. Enhanced market research and product development = strong demand for your services: Having a well-defined target market allows you to gather more precise market research and feedback. By focusing on a specific group of customers, you can gather insights into their needs, preferences, and buying behaviours, helping you refine your products or services accordingly. This feedback loop enables you to adapt and innovate, ensuring that your offerings remain relevant and appealing to your target market.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

So Paul, what do you do?

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 11:51:03 GMT

A common question I get asked, frequently, is “What do you do?”

Over the years the response has evolved and now is a simple one-line reply;

“Everything you would expect a Senior Sales Director to do for you if only you could afford a whole one!”

As a guide and insight into the life of Paul Lloyd, e xpert Sales Consultant by day and night , see below for a brief summary of the work and activities I have done in the last 12 months.

I have;

Designed and created several Sales Compensation (bonus) plans for a variety of Clients.

Installed and implemented CRM systems and trained staff members at various levels.

Managed Sales activities for companies that did not have Sales experience – my Virtual Sales Manager service .

Evaluated existing Sales teams for companies where performance needed to improve, then proposed an action plan for immediate and ongoing improvements.

Advised a traditional IT Reseller in the process of producing of a range of services and in starting the build of a monthly recurring business.

Removed a few Sales Non-performers.

Spoken at several industry events .

Moved house. Enough said.

Supported multiple Tech Tribe Members.

Executed many ' Sales Acceleration Workshops .' online and in-person.

Ran 12 monthly Tech Tribe meetups in the South of England

Started an MSP Sales Club so that MSPs can get support and advice at a reasonable cost , a lot less than the franchised experts with far more bespoke support.

Held Clients accountable for their Sales number , the most important number in your business.

Produced and helped with the execution of numerous Sales growth plans.

Was a guest-speaker on a range of Podcasts.

Final-Interviewed Sales candidates for MSPs who needed that extra support when determining which way to go with new hires.

Lead generation production from LinkedIn training.

Managed Sales campaigns and lead generation programs for MSP clients.

Introduced umpteen people to each other for mutual benefit.

Acted as an Agony Aunt for lonely clients who just wanted to talk.

Saved MSPs £1000's by not letting them take on salespeople when they were not ready.

I have also been ignored more than once.

I have worked within the IT industry for 25 years+ , and I have carried targets of £10k to £10m per month.

All of that knowledge is available.

If you think I can help you, please get in touch.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

020 8148 6475 / paul@sellerly.co.uk

You have a Sales Lead, where next?

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Wed, 03 May 2023 12:04:08 GMT

So, when preparing for your first meeting when you have a Lead or Enquiry, what should you do to prepare? We feel one concept carries through all preparation we do and it is that you can never be prepared enough as shockingly 87% of buyers believe salespeople are not sufficiently prepared.

Read on for our guide below to avoid being part of this 87% and give yourself the best chance for success in Sales meetings.

Understanding your own Target market / Niche

So, when preparing for your first meeting when you have a Lead or Enquiry, what should you do to prepare?

We feel one concept carries through all preparation we do and it is that you can never be over-prepared as shockingly 87% of buyers believe salespeople are not sufficiently prepared.

Read on for our guide below to avoid being part of this 87% and give yourself the best chance for success in Sales meetings.

Understanding your own target market / niche

At Sellerly, we work primarily with MSP’s (a managed service provider - a third-party company that remotely manages a customer's information technology (IT) infrastructure and end-user systems) and as such we have in-depth knowledge of the industry challenges and issues, main players, successes, failures and so on. Trying to set out your own niche or target market ensures you can be the expert in that industry and be a better Salesperson rather than trying to have a bit of knowledge of all industries.

Meeting and building a rapport – do your research

We recommend using a mix of the company websites, LinkedIn, Google, and social media, plus Companies House and Checkacompany.com, this will then usually give you all the answers to the below essential things we would recommend knowing about your potential new client.

1. What are their locations? Do they have any subsidiaries?

2. Who are the decision-makers? How many Directors are there?

3. How many staff do they have – are they hybrid, office based or no office premises?

4. What can you find out on Google about them? You can also set up a Google Alert for their business so you will be completely up to date with their news

5. Customer reviews - what are they saying? Any issues you can assist with?

6. Are they profitable? If not – is it worth your time?

7. Who are their competitors? Are they doing more or things differently than your prospect?

8. What are their issues and challenges? Can you solve them / offer advice?

9. Who are you meeting? What is their role? Research them personally – the more you know about them as a person then the more comfortable you will be in their company and if there are any business areas/topics to avoid!

10. Are they the right fit for your business? Can you see a relationship developing or not?

11. Interestingly Chat GPT can put together a decent and basic pre-Sales script with the right prompt in 30 seconds – so if you do not have time to put together a full report then give it a try.

12. No matter what product or service you are selling – can you find out about their current infrastructure/usage? i.e., for MSPS – what IT solutions are employed and how are they used?

And then finally – this is the big one – the questions below relate to the MSP industry but can be applied to your industry also.

13. What is their motivating reason for this enquiry?

Is their current supplier out of date?
Are they expanding?
Are they moving into remote working and do they have different needs?
Do they need help with retention?
Do they need help with reducing costs?
Do they want to become more profitable?

At the meeting

If your aim is to establish an ongoing Sales relationship then the first part, the research into their company should now be done. You now need to position yourself as showing genuine interest in their business and motivations rather than focussing on the Sales end goal.

The notion of a Trusted Sales Advisor is an old but good one, if you can establish from the outset that you are there to work with them and genuinely listen to what they want / would like/need and then can offer solutions rather than just stating what you sell that can make all the difference.

Of course, some people may not know what they want or what they want is just plain wrong, but listening is key , with the end goal of becoming more of a partner in the business, encouraging them to feel part of every decision could mean the difference between a one-off sale and a profitable relationship lasting years.

And finally, be confident and prepared, but do not pretend to know something you don’t – far better to just say sorry I’m not familiar with that and ask them to explain – people like showing off their knowledge!

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

10 Things to consider when employing Commission-based Salespeople.

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 11:39:28 GMT

We've never employed a commission-based salesperson in my MSP (Managed Service Provider) organisation. However, this is a topic that comes up a lot in our line of work and so have a read on to find out what our key take-outs are on this subject.

I’m considering taking on a Commission-based Sales employee – where do I start?

We recommend starting with what you want them to do and what you want to achieve as a business. Then, build the plan outwards to deliver those aims.

A basic salary depending on experience will range from £35k-£50K. And OTE earnings will be in the order of £70k+

So ideally you should be looking for an ROI of 3.5x - 5x the cost of employment, so that Sales target would be a £250k-360k margin.

How do you calculate the Sales margin?

To establish your Sales margin, you need to stop and think and work out the difference between your cost and a sale, and then with that figure in mind, the % of commission and a minimum threshold can be calculated off these numbers. However, this number is unlikely to be achieved in the first year, so ideally you should factor in a 2–3-year forecast plan.

10 Things to Consider before hiring a commission-based Salesperson ;

1/ You need a decent Sales Pipeline/process already in place and up and running . If you have no pipeline or sales process at the moment, they are going to have little, if any, business in their first six months.

2/ Have a realistic medium-long-term plan - remember that a Sales target is unlikely to be achieved in 12 months, maybe even 18, so plan for longer term.

3/ Are they expected to also do Marketing and Lead Generatio n? If this is expected in their role then this could be potentially difficult alongside their Sales after a few months when Sales start to get traction and they have less time to carry on doing Sales. Expecting someone to generate their own Pipeline, leads and ongoing business is unrealistic.

4/ When was the last time they did their own Lead Generation? This is an important part of any Sales Role, especially for a commission-based person who will be working more on their own initiative – you need to be confident this will not fall by the wayside.

5/ Do you have a structure and process to support them? Items like a product catalogue, pricing structure, case studies, and testimonials – are they all up to date and ready to use?

6/ What target market do you want them to go after? Why should these companies buy from you? What are your USPs and strengths and weaknesses –in-depth knowledge of your own company is key.

7/ Do you have the capacity for increased clients? If an average client size is 20 seats, at best performance then earning £1000 per month = £12k per year. To achieve £780k+ (revenue), he/she must then add £1000 per month incremental business for a new customer every month. This would add at least 350-400 seats to your total. Do you have the capacity to do this?

8/ What activity levels are you looking to set? What is your expectation in terms of the number of calls, the number of meetings, and the value of various stages in the pipeline and general activity? Set goals and numbers.

9/ How will you monitor and manage their activity? What KPIs are you going to use to monitor and manage their activity?

10/ Do you have an accurate database and CRM/marketing system to create noise to support his/her activity? Is it used, and current, and does it suit the company's needs?

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

The Power of Follow-Ups

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 17:18:01 GMT

With over 30 years of Sales experience one thing I know for sure is that everyone has an opinion on what’s right and wrong re: follow up. Another thing I know is that data and stats are your friends and as a Sales expert you should rely on them to inform and educate you at every stage of the Sales process.

Some sales stats to astonish you (source unknown)...

48% of Salespeople never follow up with a prospect
25% of people make a second contact and stop
12% of people only make three contacts and stop
Only 10% of people make more than three contacts
2% of sales are made on the first contact
3% of sales are made on the second contact
5% of sales are made on the third contact
10% of sales are made on the fourth contact
80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact

Yes, you read this right, a staggering 48% of Salespeople give up after the first attempt…

And 80% of sales are made on the 5th – 12th contact…

So why don’t we follow up if we can achieve 80% of Sales with ongoing contacts?

The reasons can be varied, they can be personal i.e., the fear of rejection, lack of confidence, or more inherent issues in an organisation i.e., no sales process or lack of a sales system.

Only 10% of people make more than three contacts...

I’m betting these 10% of people have a good and experienced “Sales” mindset . This isn’t anything magical or special, just a way of using the Sales tools / automations at your disposal and having an open-minded, positive mindset and the ability to judge, gauge and read people and situations, which most Sales people are inherently good at anyway.

So, what do you do when you connect with a prospect and they're interested, it’s definitely an active lead, yet after sending a great proposal you hear nothing, and then after a further 2-3 emails, calls, messages nothing is happening and still zero reply?

The key is to not take it personally , it may be that they aren’t interested in your proposal, and that’s ok, but it may be that any of the standard reasons DO apply;

• A decision-maker is on holiday / off-sick

• They are waiting on a new hire

• Too busy

• Significant internal HR / financial issue taking precedence

Either way, what I find is best is to just try one more time , as you just need one thing from them, an answer , be it negative or positive, it’s just that one thing, and it’s that simple. You keep trying just one more time until you get that one answer.

Other than a few minutes of your time, you’ve nothing else to lose.

How should I follow up? What method works best?

Email

1. Email marketing has a 2x higher ROI than cold calling or trade events

2. 33% of recipients open an email because of a subject line

3. 64% of people make spelling / grammatical errors in their emails, so it's important to do a grammar check on them before sending

4. Including the prospects first name in the subject line can boost open rates by 29.3%

Phone calls

1. 55% of high growth companies stated that cold calling is very much alive

2. One study showed that phone calls out-converted emails by a significant margin – 8.21% vs 0.03%

3. The average salesperson makes 52 calls a day

4. The average response rate for a voicemail is 4.8%

5. 80% of calls go to voicemail. 90% of first-time voicemails are never returned

Texting

1. Prospects who are sent text messages have a 40% higher conversion rate than those who don’t receive texts

2. Texts are better used as a follow-up than an initial point of contact. Texting before having had a phone conversation decreases the likelihood of the prospect ever becoming a lead

3. Texting someone after having made contact leads to a 112.6% higher lead to engagement conversion

Social media

1. Sales reps who are active on social media get 45% more sales opportunities than those who aren’t

2. Sales reps that use social media as a sales channel are 51% more likely to hit their sales quota than those who don’t

3. 98% of sales reps with more than 5,000 LinkedIn connections meet or surpass their quota

4. 78% of salespeople who use social media perform better than their peers

The above information and stats are courtesy of IRC Sales Solutions .

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the month;

"Since 1900, the UK has lost 13 species of bee, and a further 35 are considered under threat of extinction. None are protected by law. "

“Sales as a career!” said no-one ever..

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 10:00:38 GMT

“Daddy, what do you think I should do for a career when I leave school?”.

This is probably one of the most difficult questions I was ever asked by my daughter or any one of my three children. It’s a tricky one as I’ve lived, breathed and loved the Sales profession and worked hard and had some real successes and so any insights I can share are going to be about the Sales profession. Yet does anyone go to a Careers Advisor and get the advice “How about going into Sales?”

The sales industry accounts for around 10-20% of the UK’s total employment , and with the potential to make £30,000 in a graduate role (+ commission), Sales is definitely not a profession to be sniffed at, plus it’s an in-demand, future-proofed job.

To be a good, successful Salesperson you need to be multi-skilled, a people person, have the skills of an accountant, a lawyer, and so much more, it’s hard work but get it right and you’ll be the (probably unsung) hero of your business. So let’s change the unsung part!

Why is Sales seen as a negative word / profession?

If you look at some of the UK’s most successful businesspeople they are Sales people, think Richard Branson, Alan Sugar, Bill Gates, yet they are revered for their skills and business acumen, so why does Sales have such negative connotations and has had these for such a long time?

Sales is the job you do when you can’t get another job!

The problem somewhat stems from Sales not being a “Profession”. I heard someone recently comment that Sales isn’t valued because everyone can do it . But Sales is an incredibly hard profession to do well in, anyone can do it, yes, but only a select few are truly good at it and excel in Sales.

For me as a Salesperson I’ve had to learn the following skills;

o To listen and diagnose like a doctor

o Count like an accountant and build a case with numbers and reports

o Write like an author producing top-notch proposals

o Understanding contract like a lawyer

o Understanding employment law like a HR manager

o Negotiating as if my life depended on it

o Finding prospects and conducting research as well as any detective

o Be able to speak in from of a group like any professional speaker

Can ANYONE really do all that? With no training? They can but they won’t last very long and have much success!

The reality is NO business grows without Sales . It’s also one of the most t ransparent professions as if Sales isn’t performing there’s nowhere to hide, no excuses. If you perform well, you’ll succeed which is incredibly rewarding as a career.

As stated above the Sales industry accounts for around 10-20% of the UK’s total employment, and with the potential to make £30,000 in a graduate role (+ commission), sales is definitely not a profession to be sniffed at, plus it’s an in-demand, future-proofed job.

Stopping the Sales “Stigma”

So how do we shift the narrative? How do we gain respect for the Sales Profession? Other professionals as above like Doctors, Lawyers are sought out for advice and assistance, they offer insights, solutions and resolutions and therefore are respected and trusted.

So, it follows that we should as a good Salesperson be honest, transparent and someone who engenders respect and confidence in the prospect. They are reassured from the outset that you will provide the best service or solution for them; you listen rather than doing all the talking and you create more meaningful exchanges and sharing of knowledge from the outset.

Don’t just pick up the phone without doing your research, write blogs, become an expert in your field , seek out solutions to a prospects issue and share articles with them via social media, listen carefully, be resourceful and a meaningful conversation and hopefully a great long-lasting Sales relationship can start.

And always apply critical thinking – you should be curious and asking the right questions to customers and to yourself, think deeper and question your Sales approach to every single prospect , it’s never a one-size-fits-all profession.

And also – be loud and proud of your career, tell people about it, tell them of your sales successes, share the knowledge, the tips, I spend a lot of my time now consulting and even the smallest knowledge sharing can make the world of difference.

Become your own Sales professional and those skills will set you up for life.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the month;

"Only female bees can sting. ..."

Best and Worst Sales Approaches – Part 1 – The initial approach(es)

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 12:46:30 GMT

In my 30+ years in the Sales Industry I’ve seen a LOT of change; I am a consultant in the IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) industry and as such technology is at the core of what I do. Sales targets are selected in an increasingly sophisticated manner, making it far far easier to reach the right people at the right time with the right product.

Yet it can still be so difficult to sell , even with all the right conditions and tech automation.

I’m going to look at this as a bit of an ongoing series, in which I attempt to analyse and critique the best and worst sales approaches I encounter in my personal and professional life and share some thoughts and insights to assist people in fine-tuning their sales performances.

Firstly, below is an email I received after I downloaded some content from the Salesforce website.

I considered this a great example of a good approach;

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Hi Paul,

After seeing you viewed some content on our site, I’m curious – what brings you to Salesforce?

I see you were looking at our marketing solutions, Other customers are interested in looking at our marketing automation tools because they experience one or many of the following challenges with their current solution:

Want unified CRM (Sales, Marketing, Service) experienced

Current platform is difficult to use

Needed features aren’t included

Aren’t happy with customer support

Sales and Marketing are working in silos

It would be great to connect for ten minutes to discuss your current priorities so that I can point you in the right direction.

What’s the best time for ten minutes today?

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Why is this a good first contact email?

1. It’s polite

2. It respects my time

3. It’s short and to the point

4. It doesn’t push me to do / buy anything i.e., no instant Calendly / scheduler link

5. It gives me “business reasons” why I might be interested in their products, not solely focussing on their product to engage my interest.

And this is an example of one of the worst I’ve seen recently;

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Hello Paul,

My name is NAME. We, at CRM, have just received a demo request from you.

We offer an all-in-one CRM, which includes membership & event management modules, email marketing and speed networking tools, online payments, and mobile apps.

Could you please, in few sentences, let me know what are you looking for in terms of functionality?

Best regards,

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Why is this a bad first contact email?

1. I didn’t request a demo…

2. It talks solely about the product and not the reasons why I might need it

3. It asks me to do all the work in writing out my CRM requirements, and in just a few sentences...

4. The short snappy approach might work in some cases but not here as a first approach.

So here are some Best Practise tips I feel every good Salesperson should know;

1. Do your research into the person and company you are approaching – Linked In has so much quality information. And it shows when people have looked you up and know how to approach you.

2. Use a mix of sales approaches – combine phone and digital communications methods. All of these should be individually tailored for each prospect, and you should also be appreciative of people’s time. It’s ok to chase, but not hassle.

For example;

• Lookup/research prospect on Linked In / Google

• Send an intro email or Connect via Linked in with a brief but relevant message

• Follow-up with a call

• Then send another email saying you called on x date about x and invite them to book a call at their convenience via a scheduling tool – point out the business reason

• And for warmer prospects, the people you’ve engaged with previously, I’d add on a mix of voicemail and text messages to the above if appropriate.

• Also, in addition to the above do consider approaching via social media offering advice and insights and sharing your own case studies

3. Give clear reasons why to engage/choose – you discuss the benefits to the prospect primarily, that your product can offer them and how it’s relevant. THEN you can segue into discussing your product and how it differs/is better than x competitors.

4. Don’t underestimate the power of a phone call – when you’ve introduced yourself in an initial contact via Linked In or email it’s ok to reach out with a quick, polite call. Sometimes people can appreciate a call as it’s less onus on them to take time out of their day to contact you back if they are interested. Digital contact is a great warm up but a phone call can really make all the difference at times. It’s also ok to be protective of your time, if someone is interested and has booked a call but keeps rescheduling / cancelling, it’s ok to ask something along the lines of “I can see you are having trouble clearing time for our call, does this perhaps mean this isn’t a priority for your company right now?” And then dependent on the response N/Y you either chat in a couple of weeks or you say “Ok, understood, I’ll diarise a follow up in x months and won’t bother you till then”.

5. People are busy and and everyone has their own preferred contact style, it’s up to you to find the best mix of styles and approaches that suits them and you.

Sales is a process not an event, words I live by.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the month;

“Bees pollinate 1 in 3 mouthfuls we eat"

Are you an accidental Sales Manager?

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 12:17:25 GMT

Are you an accidental Sales Manager?

As Managing Director or Senior Executive has the responsibility of managing the sales function fallen to you?

There's no-one else to do it..

I find many of the conversations I have with organisations who want to up their sales game face the same sort of issues, someone is doing a role they weren't trained for or that they aren't 100% motivated for..but there's simply no-one else to do it. Is this you or your organisation?

You don't really want the job and feel that managing Sales is a mistake, it happened by accident...

In an ideal world..

You need a Senior Sales expert that can fulfil the role completely and with enthusiasm. Someone to answer and follow up on the endless questions, someone to make sure the CRM system is used correctly and to its full potential, someone to ensure the sales people understand delivering a forecast is important, someone who will manage sales calls and coach others to assist on them. And last but not at all least, someone who offers a shoulder to cry on and someone to say "excellent work" and "well done!"

But that's unfortunately something for another day for you, a pipe dream, your budget just won't stretch to a new hire / big salary, and you are reluctant to take on the risk of a new highly paid employee.

A Virtual Sales Manager?

Have you ever considered taking on ‘Virtual Sales Manager'? With remote working more efficient and proven than ever do you actually need someone on site full time? How about instead an expert who can handle the role on an outsourced basis?

Virtual Sales Management is typically available at a fraction of the cost of hiring someone to take on the role and is low risk (you aren’t committed long term, it’s usually on a subscription basis), and far less hassle as the person will be a proven and highly experienced professional and will be able to jump straight in and take charge. You could improve your sales productivity massively overnight.

A Virtual Sales Manager will spend time on the admin, and putting processes in place, freeing up your time and resources to be spent on your role.

Typically, areas that can be covered are;

• Forecasting

• Pipeline Management

• Recruitment

• Coaching

• Weekly Review meetings

• Keeping the team on track

• And much more

Sellerly offer very competitive Virtual Sales Management options and packages, we’ve worked with senior level IT companies for the last 25 years and we assisted the original Specialist Computer Centres team that grew the business to £500m pa and a number of the VAR 100. If you would like a free 30 min Sales Consult or an Ask an Expert Power Hour you know where we are.

And for further reading why not have a read of our blog article Getting it right before even considering making your first Sales hire looking at some simple steps you need to take.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the month;

“Bees fly at speeds around 20mph.”

Getting it right before even considering making your first Sales hire

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 10:54:01 GMT

Are you really fully Sales Ready?

Are you confident your organisation is fully Sales Ready and you’ve done all the right preparation, and your processes are all in place? As a SENIOR Sales DIRECTOR with 25 years+ experience I’ve found following these simple steps below ensure you don’t encounter getting it wrong before getting it right.

I find many of the conversations I have with organisations who want to up their sales game face the same sort of issues, when to hire someone new and/or when to focus on improving your existing strategy before passing the buck to someone new. The cost of getting it wrong and hiring someone when your existing processes aren’t in place can be a huge issue.

So let's have a look at the “sales-ready audit” I recommend to prospective and existing clients below. For new clients it’s a great starting point and then if issues are identified you can do a deeper dive into the individual areas and resolve as you go, this can take time – but better to do it now than bear the cost of getting it wrong later . For existing clients, I recommend a “sales audit” annually or thereabouts as it’s easy to drift off the Sales focus if you are busy and successful – which naturally I hope all my clients are!

So here is a list of ten questions an organisation should look at before considering hiring someone to take control of their Sales;

1. What market you are selling into? Do you have an ideal customer profile? Think about creating customer personas each with their own sales approach.

2. What is your objective with regards to growth and what you are looking to win? How much are you looking to achieve of what and over what time? Setting realistic measurable targets will help everyone know where they stand and the walk don’t run approach is best here

3. Do you have a good robust CRM system to monitor and control sales? Be sure to enter contacts and opportunities so that they are not lost and forgotten, and the system should enable you to monitor and measure activity.

4. Do you have a sales process and a clear understanding of what a pipeline looks like? A simple but robust sales process creating a solid sales pipeline can make all the difference.

5. Do you have a Forecasting process? To identify any problems, info gather, data analyse, decide on appropriate model for resolving problem and feedback on said model.

6. Do you have good up to date Marketing materials including testimonials, data and case studies? Does your website reflect what you do today? Marketing material can date very quickly, simple changes and tweaks can make a world of difference. Case studies allow a snapshot of the heart of your business.

7. Do you have a Payplan to deliver and drive the behaviour you require to achieve your plan and objectives? i.e., the methods, procedures, and salary schedules for competitively compensating employees at market-based rates for work performed.

8. Is your Company story and power statement up to date and does it still reflect who you are as a business? Attention to detail and being current is key for you and your new prospective hire.

And then the very last steps before proceeding to recruitment;

9. Pause any planned upcoming marketing campaigns so that the Sales and Marketing heads can work together for mutual benefit and expertise.

10. Write a Job description with clear targets and objectives

Thanks for reading, and remember if you want to pick my brain on any sales-related topic you can get a 30 min free consult or an Expert Power Hour .

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the month;

“The honey bee is the only insect that produces food eaten by man.”

Where are those new clients?

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 11:50:55 GMT

Where are those New Clients?

Advice on running a Sales campaign to win £1m new business

OK so let’s assume that you have started to develop a culture in your organisation geared towards creating new business as a primary goal.

So where do you go next? Ideally you need a plan of action , a campaign with steps to follow and you need to decide what you are looking to achieve , so you need to do some maths.

The Maths…

Let’s say you want to achieve £250,000 of NEWLY contracted business from NEW Accounts over the next 12 months, this being entirely incremental to your existing business. Your target is that this is made up from additional subscription-based recurring revenue (the most valuable).

So, you have a look at your existing customers and work out their current average spend and their average size regarding the number of users. Having done this work, you realise that it would also be good to look to increase this average . You see that you have a lot of small clients who are no longer profitable so you would like to strengthen this average by using a more targeted approach. So, if you can win five new customers of 100 users with an average £50,000 annual contract value, you can achieve a Target.

(As a guide the Average spend on ICT across Europe of a 30-seat company is €50k, 100 seats €228k euro, 500 seats €1.22m)

Who are you going to sell to?

You now need to decide who you are going to sell to , again let’s look at your existing customers to see in which industry sectors you have the most domain knowledge . Let’s assume that you have some clients from the retail sector and you have a good understanding of what they look for so will run a campaign towards retailers. So, you now need to obtain a list of retailers within your geography who have around 100 users. Building the list is a combination of buying some data and research using some or all of the resources that are available to you. Ideally you need a list of no more than 300 (your marketing universe), and then enter these into your CRM system such that you can use the information.

Focus on somebody rather than just anybody

Now speak to your existing customers and build a couple of case studies and get some testimonials . Consider building an industry-specific section on your website. Focus on somebody when you communicate to our target audience rather than just anybody. You are now in a position to start your campaign activity, there are many different routes to take to enter into a dialogue with prospective new customers and no one size fits all. This is where creating a persona for each customer can be highly beneficial and make all the difference.

What are personas?

A persona is customer profile – bringing your customers to life in effect with a full profile that you create to allow you to assign personality and key characteristics which help you to understand who you are talking to / doing business with. B2B persona creation nearly always focuses on the key buyer or main decision maker of a product or service. The ultimate aim is more knowledge of their needs and understanding how best to market to them . It also helps your staff to understand your customers better and perhaps even tailoring your product development.

Creating B2B personas – who, what etc

• What is their age, occupation and decision-making responsibilities?

• What is important to them when they are looking for suppliers?

• What are their goals?

• What are their needs?

• Do they have any issues with current / past suppliers?

• How do they interact with suppliers? Email, face-to-face meeting, video call?

Social Media – do your research

Look for the companies on LinkedIn and follow them so that you get true visibility of their activity, follow them on Twitter / FB / IG / YouTube etc to see what interests them. Ultimately when it becomes time to speak to your prospects, a phone call is always probably the best place to start. If you have 200 prospects; it is fair to assume that 100 of these will be looking for something within your period of activity, so if you are looking for a conversation with 5% of these, it should be possible. You then need to keep it rolling on, and you will get more customers next year with less effort with the groundwork, personas and pipeline of opportunities you have built.

‘Sales is a process not an Event.'

You will see from this that to put this together correctly takes time and a considerable effort , but when you look after the new clients for three years because of the recurring nature of the business this is potentially a £1,000,000 campaign.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver,

Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the day;

Did you know bees make a whoop when they bump into each other? The New Scientist reports that "a vibrational pulse produced by honeybees, long thought to be a signal to other bees to stop what they are doing, might actually be an expression of surprise."

When the prospective customer says No

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 09:43:10 GMT

The selling does not start until the Prospect says “NO.”

Too many new salespeople or those that have had little or no training in the sales process will often be unnerved and put off their strategy by their prospect’s objections. A no is often deemed negative, and a problem that you cannot win.

The experienced sales professional knows that this is not the case and would even go as far as to say that without objections, there is no sales engagement between the parties . Without the prospect voicing concerns or objections, I would question their commitment to the sale & consider qualifying them out and moving on.

Sales objections are a great way to learn and talk about the value of your product. It lets you know what your prospect finds valuable. You can then pick out the correct counter “arguments” to reassure and convince the prospect that you CAN deliver and will do so successfully.

Eight Objections

There are only eight real objections, and when one is raised, it is likely to fall within the following categories:

1) Lack of perceived value in a product or service

2) Lack of perceived urgency in purchasing the offering

3) Perception of inferiority to a competitor or in-house offering

4) Internal political issue between parties/ departments

5) Lack of budget

6) A personal issue with the decision-maker

7) An initiative underway with an external party

8) Perception that “it is safer to do nothing”

Your prospect’s objections are likely to be one or a combination of these eight categories. When your prospect does express their concerns, try and expand on them to get enough detail to then focus on what your countering strategy will be.

Once faced with these objections you then have a fantastic opportunity to qualify further your prospect on their needs, with ready prepared answers directly tailored to their concerns.

Follow this simple technique:

“I Keep six honest serving-men: (They taught me all I knew) their names are What and Where and When, How and Why and Who.” Rudyard Kipling.

1. What are you looking to achieve?

2. Where else have you looked?

3. When are you looking to install?

4. How have you decided your budget?

5. Why are you looking to purchase?

6. Who makes the purchase decision?

Countering Objections

During any sales process, you must consider these objections at each stage of the sales cycle. Have a practised set of questions and a reasoned argument for each written down with your agenda and meeting preparation.

For example;

1) Lack of perceived VALUE in a product or service

What are you looking to achieve? Where else have you looked? – this can lead to a competitor review and you can show how you outperform against your direct competitors.

5) Lack of BUDGET

When are you looking to install? How have you decided your budget? Who makes the purchase decision? – a simple chat re-budget could lead to an insight into a better time to sell, or lead to frustrations with the decision process being shared leading to a better understanding and relationship footing

8) Perception that “it is SAFER to do nothing”

What are you looking to achieve? Where else have you looked? An understanding and chat about the aspirations and goals of the prospect will remind them that they do ultimately want growth and success, and then you will be associated with that in their minds.

A helpful tip is to build a sales tool around anticipated objections and qualifying questions along with the opposing arguments to be shared amongst the team for use in all meetings.

Understanding the real objections and being able to qualify these further and counter them will get you one step closer to where you want to be. Whether this is advancing to the next stage in the sales process with your current prospect, or deciding to invest your time elsewhere.

Listen don’t dismiss

HOWEVER, do not ignore objections when you are presented with them, there is nothing shrewd about hoping that the prospect will not remember their concerns. They do not go away because you ignore them. It will come up again and can destroy hours of effort. Worse than that, they could actually place an order and raise these concerns post order creating a lot of unnecessary stress and work for all concerned.

Sales Objections are a natural step in the selling process, so a prospect with no objections at all is unusual , he may have them but not be sharing them with you, so consider all and any objections as a necessary vital step towards gaining new customers, and with careful listening and targeting then the successful countering of a no and official start of the sales process should be the start of a great relationship.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver, Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the day;

B-Lines are an imaginative and beautiful solution to the problem of the loss of flowers and pollinators. The B-Lines are a series of ‘insect pathways’ running through our countryside and towns. They link existing wildlife areas together, creating a network, like a railway, that will weave across the British landscape.

Time for a new job? LinkedIn top tips

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:35:58 GMT

It wasn’t long after Christmas that my youngest son announced that he was going to look for a new job.

…It may not come as a surprise that he wasn’t quick to ask for my advice, however, after briefly explaining the power of LinkedIn I recommended that he get his profile up to date.

My advice was that he make his profile more than just an ‘online CV’.

As March came and went his LinkedIn profile remained the same and he was no closer to finding a new role, only now he had a couple of questionable experiences with Recruitment Organisations under his belt.

I recommended that he focussed his time on improving his LinkedIn Profile – getting it up to date with his current role and experience, making it personal and about him …a page that potential employers can find and get a feel for him as an individual.

Finally, my offer of help was accepted and I took the opportunity to talk him through my profile, highlighting what potential employers look for in a profile.

A LinkedIn Profile is a marketing document, designed to start a conversation, it’ll take a little more effort to find the right role but it is a great place to begin in starting the right conversations.

At the beginning of May, he sat down to review his profile. He changed his title - making it more than just his job title. He amended his job description and changed his photo to one that exemplified him as a person . By the end of May, he was preparing for a couple of interviews for roles that matched his expertise and skills with exciting organisations that could offer him the training and development that he was looking for.

At the end of June, he received an offer after a second interview for an exciting role with great benefits, a competitive salary and defined training at an organisation within 10 miles of home. After a couple of hiccups with Recruiters, in the beginning, he even spoke highly of the Recruiter that he worked with and the overall experience.

…So LinkedIn works then? It is quite satisfying when your children admit that you’re right. I would like to wish him all the best in his new role… and I’ll only be taking a small amount of credit ��

Here are my top tips for making the very best of your LinkedIn Profile (I have a lot more but we’ll start with these for now)

1. Understand that LinkedIn isn’t a CV – make it personal, chatty, insightful into who you are as a person and what makes you tick, using the first person (unlike on your CV) works well, choose a great photo and a standout headline that really sums up who you are - especially when looking for a job, don’t just use your job title, be creative and say something that emphasises your USP’s and lastly put in some real time to work on your profile.

2. Going further with LinkedIn – did you know you can get a Custom personalised URL? Go to Edit Public Profile & URL (top right of page) then Edit your Custom URL to make it stand out if you have a collection of random numbers currently. Ask for endorsements / recommendations once a month, and be strategic which ones you publish and when. Add any blogs that are relevant and try to have at least 50 connections.

3. To make the very best impression in your Summary – ideally no more than 5 paragraphs, be succinct, warm, and use bulleted lists where appropriate to break up reading. Include information on passions in and out of work, key skills, unique qualifications, and what industries you’ve worked in. Use numbers if appropriate i.e. in 2020 I performed over 250 sales workshops reaching x people. And use videos, infographics, slides and more – multimedia rocks.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Lloyd, Sellerly.

MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver, Sales Management Mentor

P.S Did you know I’m a passionate bee enthusiast and keeper? Here’s your bee fact of the day;

They search out the best pollen and then take “the team” there even if it’s much further away than basic pollen.

Winning new clients

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 15:25:49 GMT

Why winning new business is so difficult or is it! Over recent years I have sent a lot of time meeting and working with Managed Service Providers / VAR’s, when we get into conversations about what is the greatest challenge within their business it comes back to the same one thing over and over...

...WINNING NEW CUSTOMERS.

This seems to hold true for companies that have a turnover from £500k to £40m. They need to win new contracts, new customers. Most of these businesses have reached the level that they have through recommendation and referrals or in the case of the bigger ones some acquisition as well, rarely it seems have they actually going out and generated an opportunity and a sale.

In a conversation with one MD to try and understand how he had won their customers it seemed that their top customer which accounted for 25% of the company’s business was an enquiry from yellow pages looking for a reseller in Bracknell a number of years before. Lucky but not sustainable...

If you want to be winning new business on an on-going basis then this has to become ingrained in the culture of your business . Every decision that is made within the company should be done from the point of view ‘how is that going to improve our ability to win’. New business should become the premier currency within your business.

Here are a few ideas of how to make it work on an on-going sustainable basis:

Build a list of the top 100 target customers
Pay significantly more for New Customer Wins and business
Build an elite new win team (Maybe Virtual)
Have a sales pay plan that rewards new win
Set new wins into your business planning
Put the Top 10 targets on the walls office so everyone can see
Research and build a plan for each target
Use your Social media as a rifle not a shot gun
Manage and Monitor the progress
Make a Senior Director responsible for Growth

Pulling this together is a significant investment unlikely to be cheap, but the return that you will gain will pay back many times over. This is the investment that just keeps on giving.

There will be the growth margin on monthly basis.

There will be the growth in the value of your business from the increased recurring revenue.

There will be the growth in value to your business, because of the ability to demonstrate growth and finally the ability to win.

If you are not comfortable putting this together because you do not have the experience then it would be prudent an strategic that you enlist some help to keep up to date with competitors and eventually surpass them.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 15:25:49 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

paul.lloyd@sellerly.co.uk (paul lloyd) — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 14:25:48 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.

paullloyd

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Best and Worst Sales Approaches – Part 1 – The initial approach(es)

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Where are those new clients?

When the prospective customer says No

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Winning new clients

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

When Growth Stalls Look Inside the Walls