field sales

September 5, 2013 by Marc Hausman

NetApp Strikes a Sweet Balance with GovDataDownload

Field marketers at global companies typically have two demanding priorities: 1) support corporate branding initiatives through vertically focused awareness and credibility creation; and 2) drive measurable outcomes for the sales and partner teams, such as lead generation, account based marketing, deal capture and sales intelligence.

With budget and resources often limited, it takes innovation and creativity to achieve a thoughtful and meaningful balance between brand and sales enablement. Enterprise storage leader NetApp provides a shining example of field marketing done well.

A new public sector campaign aligns broadcast advertising, content marketing, social media and digital promotion with a set of success metrics collaboratively defined with the sales team. Plus, several government partners are seamlessly integrated into the program to further extend relevance, influence and ROI.

The advertising component is broadcast based and delivered in partnership with NBC4 Washington. It incorporates traditional promotional spots with thought leadership content, gleaned from top level technologists in the government market.

NetApp acts like a publisher to build community and credibility.

Viewers are ultimately directed to an editorial-oriented micro-site themed GovDataDownload which provides insight into the trends, technologies and tools that influence how federal agencies manage “data from the core to the edge.”

By serving as a source of high value content, employing a multi-channel promotional strategy, integrating partners and aligning with field sales, NetApp proves its commitment to innovation extends beyond R&D to also include field sales/marketing.

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Disclosure: Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) is a vendor working for NetApp on the GovDataDownload campaign.

January 31, 2013 by Marc Hausman

Hinge Makes a Pristine Pitch

During the past two decades I have made thousands of pitches.

I’ve called and Emailed client prospects. I’ve reached out to journalists. I’ve taken a run at industry analysts and other influencers.

I have the successes and scars to show from this time in the trenches. And, because of that, I am incredibly tolerant of sales reps and public relations practitioners who call on me – as long as they are diligent and professional.

The lazy slackers who carpet bomb my voice mail and Outlook inbox are quite another story. I’m quick to express my disdain. Here’s an example.

This brings me to an Email pitch I received today from Alexandra Marigodova from Hinge, a branding and marketing firm based in the Washington, DC area. The Email I have included below is by far the most thoughtful, professionally composed and well articulated note that has landed in my inbox in quite some time.

I’m going to read Hinge’s new book and, if appropriate, profile it in the monthly column I write for the Washington Business Journal.

Plus, I referred Alexandra from Hinge to my colleague who edits our new industry blog Modern Marketing Today. Perhaps she can develop a story as well.

Good show, Alexandra. That’s an exceptional pitch!

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Marc-

We have been reading your Strategic Guy blog for some time and appreciate the valuable insights and content that you share.

My firm, Hinge, is a branding and marketing firm that focuses on professional services, and we are actively sharing content as well, including Technology Services as one of our verticals.

One of our goals for the coming year is to continue to share exceptional content and to make more connections in the professional services online marketing world. You can see through our website (www.hingemarketing.com) that we are very dedicated to sharing our content freely, including books, research, webinars, speaking, blogs, etc.

As part of our own commitment to providing free content, we recently published a book based on a study of 500 CEOs, executive and marketers from professional services firms. The book sheds light on online marketing as it pertains to professional services. I’m reaching out today to explore the opportunity of sharing this content with you and your audience.

I decided to personally reach out to you and offer you a copy of our book because I think it would be great material to incorporate in your future articles. Having reviewed your blog I believe that your readership would appreciate and find this content valuable. And its free, of course.

Please let me know if your would be interested in receiving a free copy of our book, and how you suggest we may proceed.

If it would be helpful, we could have a phone conversation for starters and explore what would be best for you.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kindest regards,

Alex

January 2, 2013 by Marc Hausman

Lazy Sales Rep Shatters Best Practices

Although I am no longer in the business of providing public relations and media outreach services, I still find Rafe Needleman’s Pro PR Tips a wonderfully entertaining and informative read.

Rafe delivers again with today’s post entitled “It’s a press release, not a graduate thesis.” While some may find his sarcastic prose and mocking of PR reps offensive, I believe Rafe’s motives to be genuine and just.

His message today is simple, relevant and (unfortunately) too often ignored: write in plain English.

I have followed Rafe’s path in a series of posts that chastise the ill-informed and lazy outreach efforts of certain sales reps. In fact, I had a client send me kudos after I published “Killing the Sales Pipeline One Call at a Time.”

Included below is an unsolicited message I have now received three times on LinkedIn. Even if we put aside the typos, grammatical errors, and babbling, run-on sentences, this note shatters several absolutely critical best practices when it comes to sales outreach.

1. Invest the time to learn about your prospect’s professional background and tailor the message accordingly. At least Jacky acknowledges that her message is sent to a “random selection or (sic) members.”

2. Don’t hide behind a vague offer of networking. I know you’re selling something. It is cool; most of us have to do it. Get to the point by explaining what it is you are selling and why it will help me.

3. Never spam someone in an online community. It breaks the rules of trust and relationship that bind participants in a social network. It’s OK to approach, yet you need to do it in a way that is consistent with mission of the community.

JackyLopez.com lookbigrunsmall@gmail.com has sent you a message.

Date: 12/30/2012

Subject: I look forward to expand networking opportunities

Hi Marc,

I recently join the group and decided to introduce myself to a random selection or members.

I see we’re an affinity group who are in business or help others who own one, which is a great opportunity to get to know each other well, grow the group and promote some discussion for mutual benefit.

I’m an enthusiastic networker with a passion for helping people transition through change in a way that makes them comfortable, because change often isn’t. But I believe we can do a lot to remove the stress of dealing with technology by breaking down terms that are foreign to our ears, and yet we feel like we should ‘adopt’ or ‘upgrade’ or else we’ll be left behind in the dust by the competition.

Some of those intimidating terms are: cloud computing, transform your business with mobile, data analysis,
apps development, application integration, and the list goes on and on.

If you visit my site jackylopez.com, chances are I’ll be online to chat with you right away, by clicking (on the right) LIVE support icon, if not leave a comment/question and I’ll respond within 24hrs. I wish you and your love ones a peaceful holiday and prosperous 2013!

Kind Regards,

jackylopez.com
Mobile Website & App – Cloud Computing – Application Design & Development -Application Integration

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