Linked In?
I have been persuaded to provide research for Mr. Tebbutt about LinkedIn, an online network community. I have been requested for contact data on three questions, get pestered to "link in" by complete strangers about ten times and have 80 or so contacts. The survey would indicate that the whole shabang is not really beneficial - although it looks great.
We welcome his insights on Plaxo.
Roger Willcocks - technology business, sales, marketing and strategy
Recent articles:
Best practice e-commerce
Using search engines to increase sales
Hiring a good salesperson
Executive coaching
How to introduce yourself professionally
How to meet Bill Gates
Use my Sales Audit checklist to see how your salespeople are doing.
"City of Liars"
my first novel: an engaging thriller set in high tech and finance.
All motivational tricks gratefully received!
e.g. "What business are you in?" "How do you cope with XXX?" "What plans do you have for upgrading your XXXX?"
Best practice e-commerce
Using search engines to increase sales
Hiring a good salesperson
Executive coaching
How to introduce yourself professionally
How to meet Bill Gates
Use my Sales Audit checklist to see how your salespeople are doing.
"City of Liars"
my first novel: an engaging thriller set in high tech and finance.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Thursday, October 14, 2004
A close shave meeting sales targets
Incentive Magazine carries the story of the sales manager who struggled to find new ways of motivating his sales force. "Breslauer originally challenged his salespeople by offering to shave his locks if all four worldwide regions of his sales team hit fourth-quarter quotas. "All motivational tricks gratefully received!
Monday, August 09, 2004
Networking and sales
Alan MacKelworth is an inveterate and successful networker. I recently re-connected with hin on LinkedIn and was prompted to visit his site. Deep in its midst, I found some excellent words of wisdom regarding what makes for a great search business. Maybe we should all have a "10 something-or-others" on our websites: helps the passing visitor get a measure. According to LinkedIn, Alan has over 1,000 contacts in his network - I was impressed and I still suspect him of under-egging.Thursday, August 05, 2004
Sales is sales is sales...
...in the immortal words of my brother in law, Jon Palling. Systems, processes, technology mean nothing at the end of the day if you don't have the culture and attitude. "Give me a piece of chalk and I'll make the numbers," he asserted after a glass or two of wine.Sunday, July 25, 2004
Selling: random art vs. science
Most sales people are treated as unwholesome freaks who have been gifted with the gab. The truth is otherwise: the art of selling is about training, method, analysis and measurement.Your vital organs
You were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. A good salesperson will use these organs in the god-given ratio (being 2:1).Don't pitch too soon!
The poor salesman always pitches too soon. I'm reminded of this from a small conference I visited where the poor, unsuspecting punter innocently asks "so what do you do?" and gets bombarded with a 10 minute sales pitch. When you're approached in this way, have a prepared sequence of questions to help you qualify.e.g. "What business are you in?" "How do you cope with XXX?" "What plans do you have for upgrading your XXXX?"
Good salesperson as seen by Valley of the Geeks
Good salesperson as seen by Valley of the Geeks Saw this drole piece on the high-tech salesperson, entitled Selling The Dream. Have we seen that or what?Saturday, July 24, 2004
90% of a salesperson's time
Where does 90% of a salesperson's time get spent?Most answers I get are travelling or admin (you know, filling out sales forecasts). The real and most informative answer, of course, is a huge majority of his time is spent chasing business that is never won. Even if you manage a close ratio of 1 in 3 (exceptionally high), that's a full two-thirds.And the answer? A good salesperson will evaluate and qualify each situation realistically.Commentary and articles about the technology business, sales, marketing and strategy.
Roger Willcocks runs Screen Pages, provider of ecommerce services to the retail, mail order home shopping businesses. Roger Willcocks has enjoyed 20+ years experience in the technology business, spending most of my time on strategy, sales, marketing & business development.
Roger Willcocks has pretty unique experience having founded a business (Intelligent Environments), taking it from early stage through to IPO. My roles included sales and marketing strategy and management, product development and project management, international marketing and channel/partner development, through to quoted company leadership as CEO.
Roger Willcocks has worked with a number of technology start-ups, helping them with business strategy, fund-raising, sales and marketing. I have a deep vision for software products and markets, coupled with strong sales and marketing savvy and creativity.
Previous Posts
- Linked In? I have been persuaded to provide resear...
- A close shave meeting sales targets
- Networking and sales
- Sales is sales is sales...
- The art of selling
- Selling: random art vs. science
- Your vital organs
- Don't pitch too soon!
- Good salesperson as seen by Valley of the Geeks
- 90% of a salesperson's time
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