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This week was a crazy busy week but I was able to take some time to go down to VA on Tuesday night for a very special event.
Check out the ‘Sales From the Streets’ section to find out more.
TACTICAL TIPS: Why The Break-Up E-mail Sucks
SALES RESOURCES: MEDDIC-GPT
SALES FROM THE STREETS: The Best Sales Rep I Know
TACTICAL TIPS:
Why the Break-Up Email Sucks
We all know the infamous breakup email.
It was popularized by Salesloft around 2015.
It goes something like this
_____________
Dear [First_Name],
I've tried to connect with you a few times, but I haven't heard back. I know you're busy, and I don’t want to be annoying.
So, at this point, I’ll assume one of four things is happening:
You’re really interested, but you just haven’t had time to respond yet.
You’re interested but this isn’t a priority right now, and I should check back later.
You’re not interested at all and want me to take you off my list
You’ve been attacked by a group of wild hippos, and I should send help. 🦛
Please let me know which one it is, or if it’s something else entirely. Either way, I’d love to hear back so I can either help or move on!
_______
It might have worked back in 2015 when no one had seen it before but now it’s just a joke for a few reasons.
The first is because it’s been way overused and just like any “technique,” it might work the first time when no one has seen it before but the very next time someone gets that email and recognizes it as a sales technique they will never respond to it again.
The other, more important reason it sucks is because if they answer with #3 above then you’ve lost all ability to reach back out to them in the future.
A rep asked me about this recently and said “do you have any way of responding when someone tells you to take them off your list.”
My answer was - yes - take them off your list.
That’s why I NEVER send a breakup email like this. Mine always ends on a high note and tries to add some value on my way out the door. It goes something like this.
___________
Hi [Name],
It doesn't seem like sales training is on the top of our priority list right now which is a good thing since it means you’re doing well.
Please feel free to reach out to me in the future if it ever does come to the top of your list.
In the meantime, here are a few of the most valuable resources I’ve come across to help sales leaders and teams continue to evolve:
{Resource 1}
{Resource 2}
{Resource 3}
Thanks and good luck out there!
__________
Stop sending the break-up email and start trying to add some value.
SALES RESOURCES:
MEDDIC-GPT
MEDDIC is one of the more well known “methodologies” out there for qualifying deals. I’ve never used it specifically but all the components are there in what I look for when “qualifying” an opportunity.
For those of you who don’t know, here it is:
Metrics: Provide data and hard numbers to show the economic benefit of your product or service compared to competitors
Economic Buyer: Identify the person with the power to make a purchase decision
Decision Criteria: Understand the factors that a prospect considers when making a purchase decision
Decision Process: Determine who else needs to be involved in the decision-making process, and what documents or forms are required
Identify Pain: Understand how a problem impacts a prospect's business and financial performance, and what the consequences of taking no action would be
Champion: Identify the person within the customer's organization who has power, influence, and credibility
I’ve never gone through the MEDDIC training but I came across this MEDDIC-GPT that I found to be pretty useful. It helps you build your analysis, analyze your calls to see if you’ve gathered the right information and help you review your deals and assess your chances of closing.
By the way, for those of you who don’t know about MEDDIC or have heard about it but not sure it’s worth checking out, listen to my podcast with David Weiss talking about how MEDDIC Changed his life.
SALES FROM THE STREETS:
The Best Sales Rep I Know
As I said in the intro, I was able to take some time this week to go down to VA for a special event.
For some context, when I left Boston to go to college at the University of Maryland, my parents followed me down there and moved to VA.
Eventually they retired and moved out to Haymarket, VA. Soon after they moved in, a brand new Hylton Performing Arts Center was built not far from where they lived.
Both my parents were artists in their own way. My mom is an incredible artist and got her Masters Degree in Art Therapy while my dad played every type of Saxophone at Jazz bars and concerts in front of hundreds of people. I grew up listening to some of the greats like Miles, Dizzy, Coltrane and more.
The Hylton Performing Arts center was a special place for them that they visited frequently. My mom eventually got a part time job there in her “retirement.”
When my dad passed away a few years ago my mom moved out to CA with my sister and unfortunately had to leave the Hylton Center behind.
Soon after my dad passed away the Hylton Center was looking to raise funds for a new art installation. When I found out what it was I knew I had to get involved.
It was a piece that celebrates the legacy of legendary jazz saxophonist and composer, John Coltrane, who just happened to be my dad’s favorite musician.
I’ve been a huge supporter of the Center and helped raise funds for them in the past but this one was different. The vision for the piece was beautiful. It was brass saxophone keys spread out on a wall with an image of Contrane painted in the background:
Not only did I use my “sales skills” to help raise funds but I also donated so I could have one of the keys dedicated to my dad.
This past Tuesday, after a lot of delays, it was finally unveiled. Since my mom is 81 now and doesn’t like traveling, she wasn’t able to make it so I made the time to go down and represent my family at the ceremony.
It was a small gathering without a ton of fan fare but more meaningful than you can possibly imagine. I FaceTime’s my mom through the presentation so she could be there with me. I know my dad was too.
This is also a reminder of why I think Sales is one of the best professions in the world, especially when you can use your skills and influence to do a small part in making something special like this happen.
CLAY AT DREAMFORCE AND INBOUND
It's conference week! That means that some of you may be out west at Dreamforce and some may be in my hometown for INBOUND (I still don't know why they did it at the same time...)
My friends at Clay are putting on some amazing events this week.
CLAY @ DREAMFORCE
If you're at Dreamforce: check out the Dream Spa Event that's designed for GTM Execs to rewine and recenter for Q4.
The JB Sales Membership is where you’ll get access to my live training, workshops, AMAs and OnDemand catalog so you can level up your sales skills every day! 3000+ Sales pros have already joined. Are you next?
The industry-leading Make it Happen Monday Podcast where you’ll get insights and inspiration from some of the most interesting and influential people in the world of Sales and business. (this is where you’ll hear the Guy Kawasaki episode on May XYZ)
The JB Sales YouTube channel with practical tips that you can apply immediately to drive results along with interviews and content that is guaranteed to get you to think differently.
