Discover the top 10 reasons why your SDRs may not be hitting their quota in this insightful event talk by our Founder & CEO, Owen Richards, at SaaSGrowth2023 – powered by Sales Confidence.
A bit about Owen:
Originally from Kent, Owen started his sales career at our Sister Company, Forrest Marketing Group (FMG), in Sydney, Australia while traveling. He started as a Telesales Executive and, having planned to be in Australia for a year, he was sponsored by the company and one year eventually became 8. During this time he progressed into a Head of Sales and Operations role.
In 2015, Owen and his wife, Amy, moved back to the UK to start a family, and in early 2016, he co-founded Air Marketing Group with his business partner and Managing Director of FMG, Richard Forrest. Seven years on, Air is now one of the UKs leading sales and marketing agencies; is the parent company to a sales and marketing recruitment company (Seed Talent); and trains and coaches other sales professionals to elevate their performance from good to great through Air Sales Academy.
Introducing our 80th episode of ON AIR: With Owen – our latest interview video series with honest conversation about scaling revenue, hosted by our Founder & CEO, Owen Richards.
Including: – What ‘brand essence’ means and why it’s important – Real life examples of brand essence – How brand essence can represent much more than the product you are selling – How brand essence works in a B2B environment – Increasing the degree of certainty: what it means and why it’s important for your clients – How to define the essence of your brand, and at what stage it should be done – Aligning a personal brand with an organisation’s brand, and the part digital presence plays – The know, like, trust funnel – The types of content a marketer should be producing to promote the essence of the brand – Real life examples of marketing campaigns that have done this effectively
Your marketing strategy is like a roadmap to achieving your business goals. It’s the foundation that supports your success; encompassing a plan that outlines the key steps and tactics required to effectively promote your products or services, connect with your target audience, and ultimately drive desired outcomes.
It needs to answer the following questions:
WHAT? What are your business goals?
WHY? Why should your people choose you over your competitors?
HOW? How will you reach and engage with your audience?
Why a Killer Marketing Strategy is Non-Negotiable is a guide by Air Marketing, designed to provide you with 4 key lessons to help you create a killer marketing strategy, tailored to your business.
From your company’s vision to who you target and how you position yourselves to them, a killer marketing strategy contains everything you need to succeed when it comes to communicating with your customers – both current and prospective!
These 4 lessons include…
Sizing up your competitors
Analysing your business
Getting brutal with your targets
Getting it done!
Get your FREE copy of the guide by completing the form below.
They discuss: – How to qualify leads efficiently – How to find the right niche for any product or service – How to identify when buyers don’t fit your target
We’ve pulled together 4 lessons to help you think differently about your marketing strategy, ultimately resulting in more sales and long-lasting relationships with your ideal customer.
If there’s one thing we’ve all
become a lot more familiar with in 2020, it’s uncertainty. In unprecedented
times, only the most creative, agile and willing to innovate will emerge
thriving. When the world shifts on its axis you have to be open to change, embrace
whatever your ‘new normal’ is shaping up to be and stay focused on your future
goals.
Headspace to focus on core operations
Nobody can deny that operational challenges have been the show stealers in recent months; everybody has been rightly focused on ensuring their teams can access the resources they need to perform their day jobs and connect with their colleagues. Social distancing and homeschooling have had a massive impact on how and when people work. The upshot? A different way of working and a greater focus on making things work in the short-term. All of this is undeniably vital work but it does mean that sales and lead generation strategies will not be getting the time and attention required to ensure they’re successful. Outsourcing to a trusted expert, gives you the peace of mind that this is being taken care of while working life resumes to some sort of normality.
Greater flexibility on costs in
unpredictable conditions
In what seems like constant change, it pays to be flexible. Maybe you had recently recruited a lead generation team who you planned to nurture and grow, and that’s now been understandably delayed. Maybe you’ve had to deliver serious cost savings to keep your head above water. Through outsourcing sales and lead generation you can scale up and down as you need to, pay for the days and services that are most vital to your strategy at that time. If that changes, you can work collaboratively with an expert to get the mix of services right for your current needs and budget.
Access to expertise
This neatly brings us on to one of the standout benefits of outsourcing: access to proven expertise. The burden of developing and retaining sales talent rests with your supplier, so even if you don’t have the means to invest, you can be sure they have and therefore achieve economies of scale. Experienced sales experts who are used to target driven, fast-paced environments will be able to deliver the quality leads you need to build a healthy pipeline and act as an extension of your in-house teams.
Dedicated resource focused on growing your brand and refining your
audience
Refining your target market,
finding the correct decision makers and generating high quality leads that
convert to sales, require a consistent approach. To get the maximum value out
of these activities, substantial time needs to be dedicated to getting them
right. Even your top salespeople will struggle to balance converting what’s hot
right now, with nurturing those slow burner leads that will pay dividends in
the future. Engaging an expert to work with you, ensures this vital but time
consuming work is removed from their desks, so they can better focus on
converting the big deals that will deliver immediate cash flow.
Reduces risk in an already
uncertain time
We touched on this a little earlier. Risk is a big deal for businesses at any time but in the current climate, reducing risk can feel seriously empowering. There’s not much we can control at the moment, so if you can look to someone with a proven track record in delivering successful sales and lead generation campaigns, you can be confident that your investment is protected. At Air Marketing we work with clients to create a tailored, blend of services that will deliver the best conversion rates in their desired market. If you’d like to hear more about how we can help your business grow or show you how we’ve helped businesses from all sectors achieve success. Get in touch today or call us on 0345 241 3038. Or hear more from our existing customers here.
In recent months the world has undergone a transformation. Most of us spent the first weeks of lockdown readjusting to new ways of working and living. Equally, most businesses spent those tentative early days of the pandemic finding their feet, testing systems and remote working arrangements. For many this time was hectic but in terms of normal business operations, decidedly unproductive.
It remains an uncertain time, and even the easing of lockdown rules represents a far cry from the normalcy we enjoyed only a few weeks ago. At some point we will be able to return to work, meet with our colleagues and clients again and return to a more familiar landscape. So, what happens then?
Lessons from lockdown
It’s fair to say that everybody’s perspective will have shifted after living through a global pandemic. We simply don’t know what the world will look like, but we know we’ll have to adapt. When everyone can be in the same room again, it’s important that everyone’s experiences are shared and the lessons learned shape the future of the business. This can be a real opportunity to do things differently and better and help rebuild your culture.
Keep the conversation going
People and culture are such an important part of any business and it’s imperative that leaders are honest and authentic in the way they communicate with their people. Especially when decisions are being made quickly and with less consultation. The current circumstances can negatively impact and dilute even the strongest cultures. People will feel disconnected and isolated and it’s everyone’s responsibility to mitigate this through keeping the conversation going, so after lockdown we can bring a sense of normality back.
This disconnection can extend to current clients. Make it a priority to pick up the phone to have a real conversation. It’s not business as usual at the moment but simply acknowledge that and check in to see how it’s all going – it helps maintain relationships and will be appreciated.
Take advantage of headspace
For those businesses that are experiencing a slowdown in sales, now is the time to take that valuable commodity so often in short supply… headspace. When you’re running at 100mph and are consumed with the fast-paced day-to-day, there are strategic projects that never get the attention they deserve. This is a chance for leaders to be creative and interrogate their processes, be honest about what works and what needs to change.
Work on your pipeline
Nobody knows how the coming weeks and months will unfold. When business is fully operational again and markets open, there is likely to be an element of desperation with everyone clamouring to make sales. Those who’ve strategically prospected and nurtured their contacts and worked on developing relationships will be best placed to sell. There’s lots of groundwork that can be done now, and it’s a truly valuable time investment for your business’ future.
Check out our video where Owen Richards, MD of Air Marketing, and Richard Forrest, MD of Forrest Marketing Group, discuss what businesses can do to prepare for when the market begins to pick up.
Air Marketing are the leading outsourced sales agency in the UK. We design and deliver sales services to deliver the best conversion rates for our clients. To hear more about how we can help your business grow, get in touch today or call us on 0345 241 3038.
There’s no denying that the digital age has changed the way businesses connect with their buyers. In the past, face–to–face sales or cold calling were the only way to reach prospects and talk them through the benefits of your products. Social selling and content marketing have changed the customer journey; buyers are far more empowered with product knowledge ahead of purchase and for low value purchases, most don’t feel compelled to speak to a salesperson at all. But does traditional sales prospecting still have a place? The short answer is yes, and here’s why.
Never underestimate the power of a conversation
A personal human connection is ultimately what chatbots are trying to replicate – in 2020 nothing comes close to a real conversation. If you want to build trust and rapport with a prospect, a friendly and open approach can go a long way.The more insight you gain into the specific challenges, the more personal and tailored your sales approach can be in a face-to-face meeting.
Digital isn’t always scalable and more suited to a transactional sale
Calling someone to extoll the virtues of a power bank or a lipstick is wildly different from talking to them about an integrated marketing or sales campaign. The fact is people don’t buy high value programmes of work online. Your website is vital to a first impression, and you need to ensure you have engaging, relevant content available, but to get under the skin of a project your prospective customer needs to be able to ask you detailed questions, beyond a comprehensive online FAQ. Research suggests that the earliest part of the buying process works most effectively, with 71% saying they want to hear from salespeople when they are looking for ideas to drive strong business results (Resourceful Selling).
Don’t limit your customer base
The people, who would benefit most from your services, might not even know you exist. If you’re relying on prospects who find you online and engage with your content to reach you via a web lead, then you’re ruling out a potentially lucrative market of businesses with money to spend, a relevant challenge that your product or proposition can solve who are ready to buy. There is strong evidence that the C-Suite buys differently; with 57% of C-level buyers prefer salespeople to call them above anything else (RAIN Group).
Traditional sales prospecting can work brilliantly with complementary technologies
This isn’t old school vs. new tech; allmethods have their place. In fact leveraging powerful systems to enhance your data and effectively map your customer journey will make your sales campaigns much more viable. Using social selling and content marketing along with targeted calling campaigns will align and strengthen your approach, your brand and make it easier to deliver relevant follow-up materials during promising calls.
At Air Marketing, we work with clients to create a tailored, blend of services that will deliver the best conversion rates in their desired market. If you’d like to hear more about how we can help your business grow or show you how we’ve helped businesses from all sectors achieve success. Get in touch today or call us on 0345 241 3038. Or hear more from our existing customers here.
Choosing an outsourced partner to handle your lead generation and telemarketing activity is more than a transaction; it’s a trust exercise and a leap of faith. It’s hard to know if you’re making the right decision and like in any tender process where you’re planning a large investment, you’re likely to see a veritable beauty parade of suppliers promising to change how you define success. How do you know if their claims are genuine? Research shows that just 53% of supplier collaborations are successful (Forbes, 2017). What should you be looking for when choosing a supplier to support you with such fundamental elements of your brand and sales strategy?
1.Do you trust them to guide your decision-making?
Trust is vital in any partnership, especially one where the expertise you’re buying is vital to your future success. There is arguably a low point of entry for setting up a telemarketing agency. Good agencies will offer genuine expertise and work with you to develop a strategy that considers every element of your brief and the challenges in your market. They will be a sounding board offering advice and guidance throughout the life of a campaign, working with you to continuously improve results.
2.Do they understand your business?
A provider that’s committed to understanding your business, from your daily operationsto your grandest aspirations, has the best shot of being able to deliver genuine results and act as a true extension of your team. They should beexperts in lead generation but value your insight and knowledge of your own business and the market you operate in – a partner with a collaborative approach is more invested in your success.
3.Can they represent your brand the way you want?
If you’re one of the 31% of businesses outsourcing to improve service quality (Deloitte, 2016), a provider that not only understands your business but also can articulate your messages as well as youcan, is essential. Their agents will have much more meaningful and engaging conversations with prospective clients. You can rest assured that your brand awareness is growing in a way that reflects your values.
4.Who’s making the calls?
Any business can put forward a slick presentation and a confident sales pitch, you need to look beyond this to the people who will be working on your campaigns and calling on your behalf. Transparency is king, if you’re not welcomed with open arms to their offices to meet the team working on your campaign, can you be confident in their expertise and working practices?
5.Are they promising the world?
As much as you might want to believe bold, world changing claims. The old adage is fitting, if it sounds good to be true, it probably is. A much better sign is a partner that talks in realistic and achievable terms and will work with you to create a programme with every chance of success.
6.Is their pricing model too reductive?
Price is important but don’t be taken in by convolutedcost models, that promise to deliver fantastic value for large volumes, ultimately poorly delivered work reflects poorly on your business, and is not worth the investment, even if it seems like a great deal. Working with a supplier that can deliver the quality you want is a far better guide.
7.What do their customers say?
Investigate their case studies and testimonials; enquire about what they’ve delivered for other customers. Long-running customer relationships that have extended from an initial project are a positive sign, satisfied customers speak volumes.
At Air, we work with clients to create a tailored, blend of services designed to deliver the best conversion rates in their desired market. If you’d like to hear more about how we can help your business grow or show you how we’ve helped businesses from all sectors achieve success,get in touch today or call us on 0345 241 3038. Or hear more from our existing customers here.
In a global marketplace, only selling in English will genuinely limit the effectiveness of your sales strategy. If your business is serious about expanding into new territories, then it’s time to move away from a one-language fits all approach. It’s true that native English speaking businesses have been slow to grasp this opportunity, from assumptions that most globally operating businesses are willing to deal in English, to not translating their website. Some of the world’s leading brands have failed to adapt their marketing materials and sales approachto make sense across borders and cultures. Here’s why they’re missing a trick:
Germany and the Netherlands are the second and third largest export markets for UK goods and services (next to the USA). France and Belgium follow on place 4 and 7. Senior decision makers within large companies in European countries may have an excellent command of English. In smaller businesses outside of major cities it’s far more likely that people will be much more comfortable dealing in their native tongue. Especially in Latin countries like France and Spain for example, there remains a strong emphasis on using the French and Spanish language, demonstrating a willingness to deal in their language engenders a spirit of trust, professionalism and serves as a mark of respect for their culture.
Getting past the gatekeeper
When it comes to understanding accents and idioms, native speakers will always have the edge. By removing the language barrier, conversation can flow freely. A native speaker can much better convey the benefits of your product or service, and ultimately better gauge the success of the call, resulting in more meaningful conversations, and leading to higher conversion rates.
Building trust and opportunities
The multilingual debate extends to online presence.Research shows that over half of people prefer buying in their own language; and the days of English language websites dominating the web are over. 70% of people willonly make an important buying decision if product specs are in their native language (Common Sense Advisory survey); this strengthens the case for multilingual selling. The customer experience is more important than ever today. If you approach a prospect taking into account the nuances of the local market, you can build trust between seller and client, leading to greater opportunities in previously untapped markets.
Why Air?
We’re experienced in delivering multilingual campaigns. For our English-speaking clients we can open access into foreign markets, ensuring your brand is communicated effectively through using native speaking, lead generation experts. You will deal with an English-speaking account manager who will work with you closely to understand your aims and goals for the campaign. We can seamlessly blend multilingual marketing into a wider outbound sales strategy; you have the ease of dealing with a single supplier, supporting your expansion into new markets.
We only use native speakers, so our agents always sound authentic when talking to prospects; all of our agents are skilled in selling over the phone and making every customer touch-point count.
If you’d like to hear more about how we can help you raise your profile in new territories and target prospects globally with messages that resonate locally, get in touch with our multilingual lead WouterVanaelsttodaydirectly on 01392 575282or complete our contact form here.
