In our experience, retaining Lead Generation Services on a Month to Month basis leads to disappointing results and increased salesforce turnover.
We have noticed that some of our competitors are offering this type of lead generation services option. We think that this option is a shortsighted strategy which is a waste of your time and money and as such, we do NOT offer this option.
Month to Month Lead Generation Services are a shortsighted strategy
Strong Sales Reps need a good 6 – 9 months to get their ‘mojo’ going. See our previous post on nurturing a successful sales team for more on this. If a sales person is on a month to month retainer, they may not have the time needed to show real results.
It takes time to learn the ropes and to develop connections that will result in real sales. Unrealistic expectations of immediate sales production creates pressure, causes quality to slip and can lead to premature turnover.
Month to Month Lead Generation Services are a waste of your time and money
It may LOOK like you are saving money in the short term but in reality, you are probably going to churn through salespeople and prospects more quickly and way less effectively, if you retain people solely on a month to month basis, costing you more and delivering you poor results.
Long term lead generation services will result in lower turnover, higher quality leads and stronger sales
Commit to the time necessary for salespeople to get up to speed and to develop the relationships they need to deliver the results YOU want!
When you are ready to invest in long term lead generation services with QUALITY salespeople who will deliver quality leads, give us a call! Our salespeople are trained to deliver solid results, consistently and over the long run. Click here to learn more and start getting the results YOU want, TODAY!
While psyching yourself up to make that first dial of the
day may be the most daunting part of cold calling, MAKING the calls is NOT the
ultimate sales goal for most organizations. Setting QUALIFIED APPOINTMENTS and
CLOSING SALES are what impact your organization’s bottom line. Understanding
the full sales process and knowing (and monitoring) your KPI’s will help you
meet your ultimate sales goals.
KPI’s are ‘Key Performance Indicators’ – clear, specific
actions YOU need to take, during a specified time, to achieve a specific
outcome. In the example above, picking up the phone and making calls IS key,
but the specified desired outcome is to set appointments with qualified
individuals and then to close sales with those prospects.
If you are responsible for making that first call, your KPI
might be to make X number of calls per hour, day or week. If the other
subsequent metrics are falling or failing to be met, this number may need to be
increased.
Are you responsible for setting appointments? That KPI
might track the number of calls that result in an appointment. If this number
slips, go back to the initial call script and make sure it is solid. Re-work
that as needed to ensure the calls you are making lead to appointments.
The next metric to track would be the number of appointments
that are converting to actual sales. If you find this number slipping, you
don’t necessarily need to make MORE CALLS (though that may help increase your
odds) but you need to work on the delivery and content of those calls so that
when you are setting appointments, they are with people who are truly QUALIFIED
to close a sale.
Clearly identifying your goals and monitoring
your progress towards those goals is KEY to ACHIEVING them! Knowing and
monitoring YOUR KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) will help you stay ON TRACK
to meet and exceed your sales goals.
Are your calls not converting? Need help with your scripts or to tune up your teams’ delivery? Give us a call – our training programs can boost YOUR team’s results.
And if you still need help, WE LOVE COLD CALLING! Give us a
call at 908.879.2911 to see how WE can make calls for YOU!
The first snow of the season hit the Northeast recently and while the weather people had predicted precipitation, the deluge of snow clearly caught us off guard! Cancelled trains, traffic snafus, sliding vehicles, regional flight delays and a dearth of snow plows all underscored just how unprepared we all were despite the weather forecasts.
As we dig out and resolve to be better prepared next time, my thoughts go to business planning for the coming year. How prepared are YOU for the coming year? While I cannot forecast precisely what storms you will need to weather, I can, with confidence, predict that you will encounter some surprises. Read on to see how we can help YOU be well prepared for 2019.
One of the best ways to buffer bad business spells is to have a full funnel of leads. If your current lead generation program leaves you feeling a bit exposed to the elements, we can help! We can train your team so they are prepared to more effectively make the calls needed to build YOUR business. Click here to learn more about our ‘Call Center in a Box’ training options.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018, CHESTER, NJ. Nancy Calabrese, an expert in qualified lead generation and appointment setting is pleased to announce the launch of One of a Kind Sales (OOAKS), an expansion of her company’s offerings, One of a Kind Solutions. OOAKS has undergone a total brand review and today unveiled its new offerings, name, logo and website to support its place as a pre-eminent qualified lead generation company.
A mere seven years ago, Ms. Calabrese launched One of a Kind Solutions. With the dawn of One of a Kind Sales, new notable sales services are now offered. In addition to qualified lead generation and appointment setting, “One of a Kind Search” helps build companies’ inside sales teams by leveraging OOAKS consultative sales techniques and hiring expertise. When sales teams are looking to improve their own cold calling outcomes, OOAKS offers “Cold Center in a Box” which gives them the proper tools and structure for qualifying leads and setting appointments within their own organizations.
The rebranding reflects One of a Kind Sales’ absolute focus on sales and sales support. Ms. Calabrese’s philosophy is that closed sales stem from embracing a rigorous cold calling process executed to defined prospects. The OOAKS process culls very targeted leads, engages decision makers, builds rapport, sets appointments and facilitates the close of the sale.
“Sales is what we are all about,” shared Nancy Calabrese, CEO and Founder of One of a Kind Sales. “We embody sales in everything we do. Our callers are salespeople rather than telemarketers. Our sales technique embraces consultative selling, qualifying and uncovering pain. When companies hire One of a Kind Sales, they are adding an entire sales department, as well as thought leaders knowledgeable in effective marketing.”
Cold calling is a piece of the sales process that is often neglected. Salespeople frequently avoid picking up the phone to make cold calls. Through its comprehensive process, One of a Kind Sales becomes each company’s sales engine that fuels new business activity by generating qualified appointments.
Since its inception in 2011, One of a Kind Sales has been recognized for its unique approach to qualified lead generation using consultative selling and its proprietary cold calling process. OOAKS has helped scores of B2B companies streamline their sales process and improve sales outcomes. Today, OOAKS serves individual sales leaders as well as sales teams that are struggling to keep their pipelines full with qualified leads and appointments.
One of a Kind Sales works with B2B enterprises where sales is integral to growth. To date, OOAKS had been a valuable resource for a variety of industries: Payroll, Insurance, Technology, Education, Public Relations, Marketing, Sales Training, HR Training & Consulting, Publishing, Logistics, Commercial Cleaning, Commercial Real Estate, Extended Warranty & Repair, Cost Containment, Commercial Moving, Commercial Printing, and Medical Review Services.
The new OOAKS look evokes the very targeted approach they utilize and reflects their unique presales process. The bold and attention getting colors align with OOAKS ability to engage prospects for sales follow-up and the passion and excitement with which their team embraces cold calling. While the offerings, name, logo and website have changed to better represent what the company’s focus truly is, OOAKS value proposition remains the same – generating qualified leads that are ready to close.
About One of a Kind Sales
Since 2011, One of a Kind Sales has helped scores of B2B companies improve the quality of their prospects and facilitated closed sales. Nancy Calabrese saw a need for better quality, highly specialized, qualified lead generation. The combination of the OOAKS proprietary process and their consultative approach increases efficiencies, reduces costs and facilitates closed sales. Additional information including method and offerings, and clients OOAKS has worked with can be found at www.oneofakindsales.com.
Technology is constantly changing, and businesses are becoming more and more dependent on technology to run their sales process more efficiently.
Sales force automation technology automates time consuming tasks and provides access to sales activities to adjustments can be made quickly. CRM technology allows sales employees to access up-to-date, relevant prospect information at any time. Mobile technology enables instant access to tools, contracts, etc. from anywhere.
Because of technology we are operating at a faster pace, more efficiently, and smarter. But there is no technology that replaces human interaction. For B2B buyers, relationships and direct engagement are more important than ever. Here are the key roles that a personal touch plays in the sales process:
The human touch allows you to uncover needs and align what you have to offer with what they are looking for – finding the fit.
Speaking with the prospect gives you the opportunity to answer questions, demonstrate value and bond with the buyer on a human level.
The human touch is the only way for business relationships to solidify and grow. People do business with people they know, like and trust.
Calling a lead can be the single largest driver of conversion. For example, a sequenced approach that keeps your company present in the buyer’s mind is an effective way to stay top-of-mind.
A customer-centric sales experience provides a competitive advantage. While your competitors are using technology to reach out to prospects, you are able to deliver real value using a customer-centric, consultative approach.
Human interaction leads to the sale. Prospects who make a purchase interact with a salesperson in all phases of the decision-making process*.
By integrating sophisticated sales strategies with technology, salespeople can achieve a new level of sales results that cannot be achieved through technology or traditional sales methods alone.
Only when sales professionals are able to harness the power of personalized, human and relevant engagement are they able to achieve or surpass their sales goals.
Cold calling is a proven way to warm up leads and secure face-to-face meetings. Lead generation working together with sales will deliver the best outcomes. It is a prolonged journey that focuses on process, vision and long-term goals. Lead generation requires patience. Taking a short-sighted view of lead generation sells it short on so many levels.
When evaluating ROI for cold calling, people often look at the number of calls made and the number of appointments obtained. The problem with this is that much of the value of cold calling is omitted. Combining this with several important factors will give a much clearer picture of the actual ROI from cold calling.
Every step of the process produces value so measuring ROI is tricky. There is added value in:
The targeted database containing accurate information
Consistent “touching” of the targeted audience
Relationships nurtured through conversations
Collected information for marketing strategy
Sharing updates with all parties in the process
The purpose of lead generation is to create business for the long term through engagement and by building the foundation for ultimate sales. When sales leaders take a short-sighted view of the lead generation process, it is detrimental to the sales outcome.
Instead of focusing on a wide top-of-funnel approach, think more strategically about targeting the right leads and accounts, and nurturing those for the highest qualified leads possible. This will set the stage for bigger and better things to follow. Look at the big picture, have patience and reap the benefits.
Cold calling is a proven way to warm up leads and secure face-to-face meetings. Lead generation working together with sales will deliver the best outcomes. It is a prolonged journey that focuses on process, vision and long-term goals. Lead generation requires patience. Taking a short-sighted view of lead generation sells it short on so many levels.
