Salesforce Functionality at a Small Business Price

Companies looking for a CRM solution for their business immediately think of Salesforce.com. Then they learn what everyone else has – it’s too expensive and too hard to use and they are right, but perhaps for the wrong reason.  Salesforce is a good product and a good company, but that does not mean their solution is right for every business.  No company can be all things to all people and Salesforce is no exception.  The company’s product addresses complex issues for enterprise level corporations and as such, incorporates a level of complexity that is simply not necessary for many small to mid-size businesses. That does not mean the product is too expensive or too hard to use. It just means that it is not the right solution for you.

The good news is there are a myriad of CRM solutions available, from basic out-of-the-box systems to ones designed for specific vertical industries like legal, banking or real estate.  While few CRM solutions can match the scope of functionality and scalability of Salesforce, there are some very good products targeted at the middle market that offer comprehensive functionality, customizability and affordability that many companies are looking for.  One of these products is Commence CRM, manufactured by Commence Corporation. Commence has been in the CRM sector for two decades and has a very good track record for the quality of their products and the customer service the company provides.

Commence CRM offers a robust suite of applications that rival Salesforce at a fraction of the cost. The product includes account and contact management, lead and sales management, marketing, a help desk with customer ticketing, analytical reporting, e-mail integration, mobile, an internet service portal and an integrated project management application.  Commence also offers a higher level of customizability than competitive products and offers an array of value added services for sales optimization and marketing.  The product is best suited for businesses with 10 to 100 users that need the functionality Commence CRM can provide, but not the cost and complexity of Salesforce.  Pricing ranges from $29 to $65 per user per month.

source http://www.commence.com/blog/2018/05/15/salesforce-functionality-at-small-business-price/

It Takes More Than Compensation to Unleash a Sales Force

By Dave Kahle

I’m often asked to help a company refine their sales force compensation plans.  As a consulting company, that’s work that we regularly do.  I believe in having a well-designed, effectively managed compensation plan as a fundamental part of any productive sales system.

But, it’s a mistake to think that the compensation plan is the entire solution.  It’s only a part.

The reason that a company will call us to help with the compensation plan is often a deeper issue.  Their sales are flat, or even declining.  They are casting about to find a solution to their lack of sales effectiveness, and have arrived at compensation as the culprit.

It may very well be contributing to the general malaise.  But it’s rarely the only issue.  Let’s consider some other factors commonly contributing to dismal sales numbers.

TRAINING!

Sales is a sophisticated profession where the skill set of the highest performers is significantly greater than that of the mediocre.  And the unfortunate, ugly truth is that most B2B sales people don’t know how to do their jobs well.  They have never been instructed in the best practices of the best sales people.  They have struggled to learn on their own, on the job, through trial and error.  Some of them have arrived at routines that have been successful for them, but most have not.

You can change the compensation plan all you want, but if you don’t instruct the sales people in how to do the thing that you are paying them to do, your results will be considerably less than spectacular.

Here’s an example.  Let’s say that you want to gain new customers.  So, you change your compensation plan to pay a premium for new customers.  That’s good, and some sales people will, as a result, put more effort to acquiring new customers.

But, that doesn’t mean that any of them know how to do this well.  While some will be attracted to the income, the lack of comfort associated with how to do it will be a far greater force, holding them back.

If you pay them a premium to create new customers, and then train them specifically in how to do that, you’ll find that your change in sales force compensation will make a dramatic improvement in their behavior.

The same can be said for any specific behavior that you want to encourage through a revised sales force compensation plan.  It won’t do you much good to emphasize key account penetration, key product line sales, etc., unless you take the time to show them how to do what you want them to do.

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

The practices and routines followed by sales management can have a great impact on the performance of the sales person.  For example, if you change your compensation plan to emphasize acquiring new accounts, and your sales manager never measures the number of new accounts acquired, never measures the various steps in that process, never asks the sales person about it, nor holds him accountable in any way, your change in sales force compensation will be ineffective.

Sales managers need to measure the progress on every performance indicator encouraged by the compensation plan.  They need to have regular meetings with each sales person in which the topic of conversation is dictated by the sales manager, and focuses on specific progress on each performance indicator, and specific plans to achieve greater numbers. This process, by the way, is one of the key processes we teach in our Kahle Way ® Sales Management System.

STRUCTURE

In much of my other writing, I discuss the concept of “sales structure”.  Briefly, the structure is the set of written and unspoken policies, procedures, and expectations that surround the job of the sales person.  I like to characterize it as everything left in the sales department after you remove all the people.  It is larger and more specific than “culture” because it is often codified and institutionalized.  Some examples of elements of the structure include:

Sales compensation plan

Job descriptions

Territory definitions

CRM, or lack thereof

Call reports, planning itineraries, or lack thereof

Pricing guidelines

Sales process definitions

This is just a small sampling of the list that makes up the “rules” – the way things are done in your company.

The key rule here is that the structure must support the behaviors that you are reinforcing in the compensation plan. For example, if you emphasize the acquisition of new accounts, but several of your sales people have mature territories with few prospects left, the structure stands in the way of the compensation plan.

Most components of sales structure are vestiges of days gone by.  They were created, typically, in response to a crisis some time ago, and became codified.  Most companies aren’t even aware of many elements of their structure, because they have been so embedded into the routines of the company that they don’t even notice them anymore.

It’s not unusual to find elements of the sales structure that present obstacles to the attainment of the compensation behaviors. Not only are they not supportive, they stand in the way.

When you change your sales force compensation plan, look at every single behavior that you want to encourage, and ask yourself, “Is there anything in the way we do sales in this company that presents an obstacle to the sales person performing on this issue?”  Be open-minded.  You may even ask for some outside input.  Remember, many of the elements of your structure are so deeply embedded into your routines that no one even notices them.

When you identify structural elements that are obstacles to sales success, work to eliminate them.

PEOPLE

It is an unfortunate truth that many sales people, maybe as high as 40 percent of your sales force, should not be in their jobs.  While they may have all the product knowledge in the world, they just are not suited to deal effectively with the challenges of the job of the sales person:

constant rejection
the need to create positive relationships with everyone
the responsibility to effectively manage their time
the need to continually learn more about every customer.

Sales is a profession that is growing more sophisticated and challenging by the day.  Many of today’s sales people, who were adequate in terms of their aptitude and attitudes in the past, are not up to the rigorous demands of the job today.

You can have the greatest compensation plan in the world, but if your people are just not capable of performing, the plan will be a waste of time.

While I applaud every company’s efforts to revise their compensation plans, at the same time I have learned that compensation is only one part of the picture.  If you really want to revise your sales efforts, you need to attend to the other issues discussed above, as well.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales authorities. He’s written ten books, presented in 47 states and ten countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations. Check out our Sales Resource Center for 455 sales training programs for every salesperson at every level. To connect to the Sales Resource Center use this link: 
http://www.thesalesresourcecenter.com

source http://www.commence.com/blog/2018/05/09/it-takes-more-than-compensation-to-unleash-sales-force/

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Selecting CRM Software

Here are some quick tips that will help you to avoid the common mistakes so many small to mid-size businesses make when selecting CRM software.

1. Poor Preparation

You’re a small to mid-size business that has decided that you need a CRM system to automate and better manage your business.   You may be struggling with an Excel spreadsheet, a dated contact manager or perhaps nothing at all and you have decided that it’s time to get one of those CRM systems that everyone’s talking about, but are you prepared to make the right decision?  Most business do not take the time to fully document what they need the CRM system to do, what commitment is required for its implementation and getting the staff trained and how will they measure success and a return on their investment. This lack of preparation has created an extremely high failure rate according to industry analysts.  Poor preparation is mistake number one.

2. No Management Commitment

As the CEO or owner of the company you may have decided that you don’t have time to personally engage in the selection process so you assign a staff member or two to begin the process, but unless you have fully communicated what the core business objectives are, what your expectations are for the system, what your budget is and what criteria you want to use to evaluate vendor’s you have just sent your staff on a wild goose chase. They will simply Google Best CRM Systems or Top-Rated CRM’s and get a laundry list of dozens of companies that paid to be part of the Google listings then ask for free trials of all the products.  As owner or CEO, it is your job is to drive the process by outlining the specific business requirements and the criteria that should be followed for the selection process. If you do not have the time for this, then it needs to be spearheaded by a member of the management team with the authority to assist and guide the staff. No Management commitment is mistake number two.

3. Don’t Turn Your CRM Decision into A Beauty Contest

Most people have little to no experience selecting software, and due to poor preparation and lack of management commitment the people engaged in the evaluation process often do not have a clear understanding of the functionality required to address the company’s specific business requirements. As a result, they focus on other aspects of a product that they are comfortable with such as its cosmetic look and feel, its price and how easy it is to use.  The decision process gets turned upside down and instead of selecting a solution that will address the company’s requirements, price and cosmetic appeal become the core decision criteria. Turning your selection process into a beauty contest is mistake number three.

4. Where Is My Data

The protection of your confidential data should be of paramount concern to you and should be one of the key selection criteria for the solution provider you select. I have been engaged in well over 200 sales processes with small to mid-size businesses and I cannot remember a single company ask me where their data is stored, what our backup and recovery procedures are, and how can they get to it in case of an emergency.   They all ask if it is in the cloud and a simple yes makes them comfortable. But not all cloud hosting services are alike and if a solution is free or very low cost, this should be a red flag that you may not be getting the protection you think you are.  Not knowing where your data is stored, or the quality of the data hosting service is mistake number four.

5. Who Do We Call for Help and Professional Assistance?

CRM is not an appliance that you plug in the wall and it starts working.  Your business will need to take advantage of the value-added services the solution provider can provide. This can include training, customization, system integration, and advice and counsel on how you can realize the maximum value from the product.  You may want assistance with creating marketing programs, establishing your sales process or generating custom reports.  Many solution providers servicing the small to mid-size business community don’t have these resources available to you.  Some do not even have a phone number on their website. Customer service is via e-mail only and it’s clear why.  How can any company provide a quality product and service for free or just a few dollars a month?  They can’t which is why there are no resources available.  What’s a bit perplexing at least to me is how can you be in the Customer Relationship Management business and tell your customer that service is only available by e-mail?  Selecting a solution provider that does not offer phone support services is mistake number 5.

source http://www.commence.com/blog/2018/05/02/5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selecting-crm-software/

Looking for a CRM Solution for Your Business?

Select a CRM Software Company – Not a CRM Software Product

Selecting the right CRM system for your business can be challenging. There are literally hundreds of solutions available from free and open source programs to ones costing well over $100 dollars per user per month.  So, what’s the best way to go about selecting the right solution for your business?  Well, it is important to start with why do you need a CRM solution?

What specifically does it need to do?

What are the requirements to ensure the proper implementation of the system and its use?  

What are the criteria to measure the return on your investment? 

One of the reasons so many companies fail to get the CRM system they selected implemented and utilized is because the initial selection process is often flawed.

Here is what typically happens.  Management has decided they need a CRM system to streamline their internal processes and increase communication within their firm, so they assign someone to take charge of the project. This individual begins to talk with the internal staff so that he or she can document all the features and functions they need in the CRM system. Once that is complete they select a group of vendors and ask for a free trial or product demonstration.  After a few weeks of evaluations, the project manager has a recommendation which is based primarily on selecting the product that meets as many of their functional requirements at the lowest cost. This is where the process breaks down and why the number of CRM systems that fail to get properly implemented and utilized (according to industry experts) is a whopping 73 percent.

What differentiates the myriad of solutions to choose from is not just the product’s features and functions, but more importantly the value-added services the CRM solution provider can deliver to ensure the successful implementation and use of the product. CRM software is a resource intensive solution that requires proper planning, management commitment, implementation procedures, data migration, customization, training of the staff and more. These areas are often overlooked during the vendor selection process because people tend to focus all their attention on features, functions and price.  As a result, they select what they believe is the right product, but the implementation fails.

I think it’s fair to say that at the most basic level CRM software has become a commodity. Most of the companies offer the ability to manage accounts or customers, people or contacts, activities, notes and perhaps a sales forecast, but even at this level there is a high degree of customer/vendor interaction that is required for the successful implementation and use of the software. With more advanced solutions the commitment to preparing for and managing the implementation is even greater.  The problem here is that many companies are just not prepared for this and nor is the CRM solution provider they selected. So now you have a situation whereby you are not prepared to commit the time and resources to the implementation, and the solution provider you selected cannot offer any assistance.

This is why it is so important to select a CRM company and not just a CRM product.  A CRM company will have a documented implementation plan and resources that can guide you through the steps required for you to be successful.  Training is provided by experts in sales, marketing and customer service, not just a list of videos for your staff to review at their leisure.  A CRM company will provide phone support and assign an account manager to call, not suggest you send an e-mail and wait 48 hours for a response. If you believe as many do that CRM solutions are all pretty much the same, then it’s time to turn the standard vendor selection process upside down and focus on selecting the right CRM company versus the right CRM product.

This article is sponsored by Commence Corporation, manufacturers of Commence CRM. The company provides a robust CRM solution coupled with consultative services for the proper implementation and use of CRM software.

source http://www.commence.com/blog/2018/04/27/looking-for-crm-solution-for-your-business/

Two Simple Rules to Close More Effectively

By Dave Kahle

Excerpted from Chapter 13 of Take Your Performance Up a Notch

Whenever I ask sales people to rate themselves on their competence at all the different parts of the sales process, they invariably rate themselves low at closing the sale.  Unfortunately, sales people who don’t close consistently waste a lot of their time, waste their customer’s time, and are not nearly as effective as they could be.

Rule Number One:

Being adept at closing the sale, and every step in the process, is an important key to productivity.  So, let’s examine the issue of closing, beginning with the first principle: Closing is a process which always ends with your customer’s agreement to take action.

As you consider this principle, you’ll realize that closing is not just asking for an order, although it certainly is that.  In addition, it is a process you repeat at every stage of the sales process.  In fact, almost every time you interact with a customer, you can close the interaction by asking for some agreement.  Whenever your customer agrees to take some action, you have closed that step in the sales process.

Let’s illustrate this principle with a typical real life situation.  Suppose you’re talking on the phone to a prospect, and he says, “Sounds interesting.  Send me some literature.”  You say, “OK, I’ll put it in the mail today.”  Have you closed that step of the process?

The answer is no.  You have agreed to take action — send some literature — but your prospect hasn’t agreed to do anything.  Remember, a close always ends with your customer agreeing to take some action.

Can you turn the same situation into a close?  Back to the same situation.  Your prospect says, “Sounds interesting. Send me some literature.”  You remark, “I’d be happy to.  After you review it, will you discuss it with me over the phone, say next Friday?”  If your customer says, “Yes,” you’ve closed.  He’s agreed to take some action.

“Closing almost always involves the use of a good question. Learn to ask questions better. – Kahle Wisdom”

Rule Number Two:

That leads us to the second powerful principle of closing the sale: Every interaction can and should be closed. In other words, at the conclusion of every interaction with your customer, ask for an agreement on the action he or she will take.

The telephone conversation described above is a good example of closing the interaction. Here’s another common situation. Let’s say you’ve discussed a product or proposal with your customer. He says, “It looks interesting, but we’re not ready for that now.” You might then say, “When do you think will be a good time?” Your customer responds, “Probably around June.” You might typically say, “OK, I’ll make a note to discuss it with you then.” At this point, you haven’t closed the interaction, nor have you resolved the issue.

Let’s take the conversation one more step further. Suppose you now say, “At that point in time, will you spend a half hour with me to discuss it in detail?” You have now attempted to close the interaction by getting an agreement for action on the part of your customer. You’ve put the issue on the table, and are attempting to resolve it.

Let’s take the conversation one step further. Suppose your customer says, “No, probably not.” You now have a decision to make. Should you probe the reasons why, or should you accept his decision? Let’s say you decide to accept his decision. The conversation has value to you in that you learned that this proposal isn’t going to fly in this account. The early “no” was valuable to you. You didn’t waste months chasing something that wasn’t going to happen. That’s the value in resolving the issue.

Let’s now say that your prospect, instead of responding “no,” responds to your close by saying, “Yeah, I think it has enough merit to spend that time discussing it with you.” You now have his commitment to spend some time with you, so you have moved the issue forward. You’re one step closer to the ultimate sale.

Implement these two principles and you’ll dramatically improve your productivity. Keep in mind that closing is an agreement for action on the part of your customer, and make it your goal to close every interaction.

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About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales authorities. He’s written ten books, presented in 47 states and ten countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations. Check out our Sales Resource Center for 455 sales training programs for every salesperson at every level. To connect to the Sales Resource Center use this link:
http://www.thesalesresourcecenter.com

source http://www.commence.com/blog/2018/04/18/two-simple-rules-to-close-more-effectively/

It’s Time to Adopt a Digital Marketing Strategy

The success of your business is highly dependent on your ability to create and implement a mix of marketing programs that target the right customers, effectively communicate your message, and convert new prospects into customers. If you are not doing this, or if you are still using old school marketing programs, you are most likely struggling. Your competitors are probably using a digital marketing strategy and it’s time that you take the steps to compete on a level playing field.

Before embarking on your digital marketing campaign take the time to understand three core criteria about your business.

1. What customers do you serve better than anyone else and what are the competing alternatives?
2. How will you communicate this to the market? What is the proper vehicle to attract the right prospects?
3. How will you measure the effectiveness of your marketing programs?

Digital marketing is all about taking advantage of the tools and services that will enable you to quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively put your company, your product or your service in front of as many potential buyers as possible. This includes:

• search engine optimization on sites like Google, Yahoo and Bing
• creating quality content for distribution on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and others
• creating a blog with educational material
• enhancing your web site with a call to action and a giveaway for those who provide their information, such as a free white paper or product trial.

What is important is to understand that you need a marketing mix that incorporates much of the above to be successful. If you are not comfortable doing this on your own, there are a lot of resources available to help. To learn more visit commence.com/marketing-enablement

source http://www.commence.com/blog/2018/04/13/its-time-to-adopt-digital-marketing-strategy/

Commence CRM Helps Businesses Focus on What They Do Best

When examining the CRM software landscape, Larry Caretsky knows his company, Commence Corporation, isn’t the biggest — and that’s perfectly fine.

Instead, he compares Commence to the likes of Volvo, a relatively small business competing against massive corporations 50 times larger.

“They basically found the thing they do better than everyone else,” said Larry, who is the President of Commence. “They’ve honed in on a feature, safety, and they’ve got the likes of GM and Ford on the defensive. If you’re interested in safety for your car, GM and Ford have to prove they’re at least as safe, or you’re not going to buy from them.”

For nearly 30 years, Commence has focused on providing superior customer service to small and medium businesses needing software to help manage contacts, sales, marketing, and support. Half of that time, according to Larry, industry experts have expected the company to not be able to compete with longtime CRM titans or high-tech startups; he enjoys proving them wrong.

“My firm has been able to prosper and grow over its 27 years because we’re really good at knowing what we do better than everyone else,” Larry said. “We compete against Microsoft, Salesforce, and a myriad of other CRM solution providers, and we’re still alive and growing. To have customers for 20-plus years in the tech industry is unheard of.

Read the full article on HostingAdvice.com

About Commence:

Offering enterprise-grade functionality at small business pricing, Commence Corporation is a longtime leader in customer relationship management software. By using the company’s desktop or cloud CRM programs, businesses can track stats related to sales and satisfaction. Used by thousands of companies around the world, Commence provides valuable insights so clients can enhance customer interactions and increase profits. With a user base largely composed of small and medium businesses, Commence’s primary focus is on facilitating business success and growth.

source http://www.commence.com/blog/2018/04/03/commence-crm-helps-businesses-focus-on-what-they-do-best/