Sales as a Service - A Brainstorm

In this Episode

This week Leslie, Matt, Phil, and Mervyn talk about sales as a service and brainstorm ways to create an effective sales system for any small agency.

Show Summary

The guys talk about what pains them most about sales. Is it psychological? Methodological? Theological? (probably not the last one).

The guys share what challenges them most about selling their services and what it might take to get them over the hump.

Coffee Break Ramblings

(12:18) Coffee Break

The guys walk their way through a sales process, starting from getting a lead to closing the sale. Things get detailed, fast. This may be the most comprehensive look at a sales process that doesn’t make you want to gouge your ear balls out.

Les promised to share his notes from the conversation—he’s a man of his word, so here’s his outline!

Sales Workflow Outline from our Brainstorm

The main purpose of this exercise is to show you how straight forward it is to document your own process. Once you have it documented it becomes much easier to improve it in bits until you see significant improvements from where you are now.

• Is the email lead thought and written well?
  • If well written
    • Does it have the detail I need?
      • If yes, call, not email, the lead.
    • Not enough detail
      • Call for more info.
      • If no phone number, email instead.
  • Qualify the Client based on your specific criteria (you do have your own criteria, right?)
    • Why do you want to work with us specifically?
    • Time & Money
      • Value of project to client - you are not asking “what’s your budget” you are asking “what’s the value if this project is successful?”
      • What’s the timeline?
  • Qualify the Work
    • Project at a high level
      • Am I right for this work?
    • Features at a high level
      • Spreadsheet them
    • What’s the audience/user for the audience?
    • Cost the work - This is not your price to the client, its your cost to get it done (usually not shared with client).
  • The Proposal
    • Submission requirements
      • Government needs
      • Non-profit needs
      • Private needs
      • “High-end format” (well designed, sectioned PDF)
      • “Low-end format” (email, text doc)
    • Proposal structure
      • Executive Summary
      • Value, ROI in detail
      • Scope
      • Approach, process
      • Ask for a signature/acceptance
  • That’s as far as we got :)

Show Resources

• Visit the new digs over at Haywire Consulting!
• Sign up for the snazzy newsletter here. Did we mention we have a designer? Yeah, that means the letter is beautiful.
• Make an appointment to talk with Leslie to see see how Haywire Consulting can help your business grow in a way that keeps you sane (because we’re told staying sane is sorta important).

Next Episode

Something valuable, we promise.