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Why Sales Reps Don’t Like Leads Michele Perry Sourcefire. September 22, 2006. Planting Issues. Overcoming “standing friction”; it takes a great effort to “start the ball rolling” Identifying the innovative opinion leaders Communicating with the innovators “Sprint-Selling”
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Why Sales Reps Don’t Like LeadsMichele PerrySourcefire September 22, 2006
Planting Issues • Overcoming “standing friction”; it takes a great effort to “start the ball rolling” • Identifying the innovative opinion leaders • Communicating with the innovators • “Sprint-Selling” • Maintaining “cash neutrality” • Setting a reasonable “fair price” • Staying the strategic course • Building a strong reputation & brand • Avoiding doing stupid, desperate things
Marketing Planning Customer Need Market Segmentation Mapping to Technology Adoption Curve Whole Product Market Strategy Execution Validation Market Influence Matrix Marketing Plan 3
Marketing Plan Positioning Market Ecosystem Messages Lead Generation Plan Communications Plan
Pipeline Analysis • Suspects • Prospects • Qualified Prospects • Initial Meeting • Follow-on Meeting • Trial/Evaluation • Trial Conversion • Negotiation • Contract
Qualified Leads • Need (project) • Urgency • Budget • Buying Authority
Unqualified Leads White Paper downloads Tradeshow Leads Qualified Leads Contact Me Partner Referrals eBlasts Typical Lead Quality Metrics can get you in trouble here!
Why don’t reps like leads? Time Unqualified Leads Qualified Leads Why not just ignore them until they are qualified?
Buying Stages Unaware Awareness Preference Conviction Trial Purchase
Why don’t reps like leads? Unqualified Leads Qualified Leads Lead Nuturing (Marketing) Visibility (Sales)
Retail Example • Immediately approach customer • Respect their right to be “just looking” • Once customer is ready to purchase, they expect instant assistance.
A Little Geoffrey Moore • Initial goal of company is to establish a beachhead in mainstream market • i.e. referenceable customers • The only advantage of small companies is their ability to go deep, not wide • Target 1 niche market segment with a “must-have” value proposition • Being sales driven at this stage is… fatal “Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless.” Mary Kay Ash
Chameleon Marketing • Common Problem • Flexible • We can solve your business problems better than anyone else • We are whatever you want us to be • What are we? • Balancing the F Words • Focused • Flexible
Chameleon Ramification Instead of being all things to all people you risk being not an exact or best match for anyone
Unaware Are people looking to buy “this”? What will they call “this”? What is the category?
Palm Stage – Friends & Family Networking not Marketing • Executive Team • Employees • Board of Directors • Investors • Partners • Who knows somebody that can use this product! • Companies prefer to buy from proven, established companies
Thank You! Michele Perry CMO, Sourcefire www.sourcefire.com 703 622 5015