I wrote at some length across other earlier posts to this blog on the value of identifying “5 tool players” early in the formation of an enterprise software business and then adding them to the first team powering the business… Read more ›
If you are already managing your sales team by revenue production, don’t try to apply Agile. There is no benefit to be captured by adding a layer of complexity (yet another management technique) onto a clear and simple set of… Read more ›
Detecting warning signs about deals is a valuable skill successful sales managers need to have. The sales cycle for enterprise software products is comparatively long. Enterprise software is a complex product, therefore it makes sense more time is needed to… Read more ›
Is the notion of “predictable revenue” helpful for your enterprise software business? The answer depends on your answers to 3 yes or no questions. But before I jump into these questions, I want to make sure you and I share… Read more ›
In their book Lead and Disrupt: How to Solve the Innovator’s Dilemma, Charles A. O’Reilly (Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business) and Michael Tushman present a number of case studies of “ambidextrous” managers running organizations built… Read more ›
ISVs should plan on at least six months preparation time before new sales people start producing. Better not to hire new sales people than to bring them in under an unreasonable expectation of how quickly they will start selling. New… Read more ›
As recently as no more than 5 years ago, cold calling was looked upon with disdain by most firms in the IT software market. Cold calls were considered the type of tactic employed by the lower tier of companies in… Read more ›
CEOs at innovative tech businesses usually think about implementing a quota system as a method of building revenue. We think that the real value captured by implementing a sales quota system, regardless of whether or not revenue targets are ultimately… Read more ›
We use a lead ranking system built on: Lead Value and Lead Maturity, meaning the position of a lead in a specific lead maturity cycle We implement our lead ranking system to provide clients with a realistic picture of sales… Read more ›
Strong words but true. Consider how the big boys do it. Here’s an excerpt from Cisco’s Annual Report filed with the US SEC, dated September 14, 2011: “A substantial portion of our products and services is sold through our channel… Read more ›
