Referral Relationship Experts Series: Marrying Marketing and Sales

Truman TangSenior Advocate Marketer, Influitive@trumantang @influitive

Marrying Marketing & Sales To Generate More

ReferralsJoanne S. BlackFounder, No More Cold Calling@ReferralSales

Housekeeping

Join the conversation on Twitter!@ReferralSales@trumantang @influitive#advocatemktg

Questions welcome!

The slides will be emailed to you after the webinar.

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Don’t miss out on any more high-quality referral leads!1. Referral selling (Joanne)

• The power of referrals• What gets in the way?• 5 step referral system

2. Advocate marketing (Truman) • Buyers are tuning out• Advocates = referrals• Marketing can help

3. Q&A

I’m Joanne Black • Contrarian• Social media advocate• Cold calling opponent• Leading referral selling authority• Straight talker

Welcome to Referral Selling!

1. Getting the meeting at the level that counts

Biggest Sales Challenges

1. Getting the meeting at the level that counts

2. Converting prospects to customers

Biggest Sales Challenges

Generating Qualified leads is the most important step in your sales process

Joanne’s Point of View

Get Leads & Get the Meeting

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The “gatekeeper” is on your side

Get a Referral Introduction

• Arrive pre-sold• Trust and credibility earned• Sales process shortens• Ace-out the competition• No “hard” costs

The Power of Referrals

Your biggest competitive differentiator

Referral Selling

Research/IDC• 76.2% prefer to talk to vendors recommended by someone

they know.• 73% prefer to work with sales professionals who have been

referred by someone they know.• 63.9% are open to introductions to new people.

Why Executives Meet with Salespeople

Do You Have a

Referral System?

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• Written referral sales plan• Weekly written referral goals• Methods to track and measure referrals• Accountability for results

Do You Have a Referral System?

What Gets In The Way?

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• Intruding on a relationship• Feels pushy & arrogant• Don’t know how to ask• If I have to ask…• They might say “no”

What Gets In The Way?

• Assuming your clients will refer you• “Pointing and telling”• Forgot to ask• Not implementing

What Gets In The Way

What It Takes

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1. Make referrals a priority

What it Takes

1. Make referrals a priority2. Integrate into your sales process

What it Takes

1. Make referrals a priority2. Integrate into your sales process 3. Create metrics

What it Takes

1. Make referrals a priority2. Integrate into your sales process 3. Create metrics4. Build skills

What it Takes

1. Make referrals a priority2. Integrate into your sales process 3. Create metrics4. Build skills5. Implement

What it Takes

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A New Way Of Working• What is your cost of not making the transition to

referral selling?• What are you losing or giving up as a result of this

transition?• What is the cost of doing nothing?

© Copyright 2012

What’s Your Referral I.Q.?

1. Take your 14 question Referral I.Q. Quiz. Your checklist for referral selling. http://bit.ly/1M54xa0

2. 10 or more salespeople? Let me know. We’ll create a composite quiz for your team.

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Let’s Stay in Touch– joanne@nomorecoldcalling.com– 415-461-8763– @ReferralSales– www.linkedin.com/in/joanneblackreferralsales/

Joanne S. BlackAmerica’s Leading Authority on Referral Selling

Advocate Marketing Experts

Truman TangSenior Advocate MarketerInfluitive

About Influitive: Advocate Marketing Experts

Influitive’s advocate marketing software helps B2B marketers engage customers and accelerate revenue by mobilizing their army of advocates.

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WHO WE ARE:

200+ customers

$41.5M

in funding raised from top-tier investors

100+employees in Toronto,

Boston, San Francisco & Palo Alto

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Buyers are tuning outWebsite off in the distance, customers at the forefront? Or stats like these?

84% Of B2B decision makers start off the buying process with a referral 59% Of B2B buyers engage

with peers who share their challenges

IT decision makers rely on word of mouth marketing as their primary influencer when making buying decisions

8 outof 10 75%

Of the B2B buying process is complete before buyers come in contact with sales

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ad•vo•cate1. One that promotes the interests

of others.

2. One that defends or maintains a cause

3. One that makes a non-financial investment in your

company

“Your brand is what people say aboutYou when you’re not in the room”

– Jeff Bezos, Amazon

Shut up and let your advocates do the talking

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REFER ENDORSE EDUCATE ENGAGE

Customers findnew leads

Customers say great things about you

Customers teach prospects about you

Customers provide feedback and intelligence

Referrals

Media Interviews

Reviews

Analyst Briefings

References

ContentDistribution

CaseStudies

SocialPromotion

ContentCreation

ProductSurveys

UserGroups

CustomerAdvisoryBoards

Community

Why do you need an advocate marketing program?

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DRIVE MARKET

AWARENESS

GENERATE

LEADS

ACCELERATE

SALES

ENGAGE

CUSTOMERS

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There’s a better way to nurture your customers

Mobilize Advocates

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Invite Advocates into your program and present them with relevant challenges or ‘asks’

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Connect & Engage with Community

Fuel participation and engagement by injecting advocates into your community

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Reward & Recognize

Advocates can spend their points on a variety of perks, privileges and rewards

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The Blackbaud Champions program generated a year’s worth of customer referrals in only 3 months

IN 3 MONTHS

59 37% $213KGenerated Close Rate Of

Marketing QualifiedCustomer Referrals

For 22 ClosedWon Deals

In New Revenue From Customer Referrals

Michael Beahm, Advocate Marketing

Manager

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ReadyTalk formed a highly engaging advocate program resulting in referrals, references and new customer logos closing in record time.

IN 4 MONTHS

190 70 2X33% Of Referred

Opps Closed

CustomerReferrals New SalesReferences

In New Revenue From Customer

Referrals

Bo Bandy, Director of Marketing

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Influitive encourages their advocates to spread their positive sentiment on as many review sites as possible.

IN 2015 THUS FAR

3% 20%Generated

Customer Referrals Of New Leads Of New Business From Referrals

736

Truman Tang, Senior Advocate Marketer

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Summary1. Develop relationships2. Be kind and align3. Go for the ask4. Connect and engage5. Reward and recognize

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bit.ly/b2breferrals

Thank YouQuestions?

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