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Self-Evaluate: Are you a Giver or a Taker?

September 18, 2012 by Karin Schwartz

A few months ago, I read Bob Burg and John David Mann’s Go-Givers Sell More, the follow-up to their national bestseller, The Go-Giver, a work aimed at inspiring individuals to shift the focus in their lives from getting, to – as the title suggests – giving. Applying this concept to the workforce, Go-Givers Sell More emphasizes the importance of generosity in business transactions. As I perused its pages, I was forced to face the facts about my own altruistic intentions like a child who’s just realized that the tooth fairy isn’t real. When I did, I realized a troubling truth: I had become a taker.

As someone who runs a company that’s a part of the sales industry, I have a business that depends on introductions. When I stopped to really think about the current state of affairs at Springboard at that point in time, it occurred to me that for some reason, my referrals had come to a screeching halt. It was time for me to accelerate into high gear and drive my business forward, but before I could, I had to seriously evaluate what was going wrong with my business.

It’s easy to get caught in the hustle and bustle of daily obligations and tasks, and I had certainly fallen into the habit of so doing. I had become so busy, focusing on clients, family routines, and checking off my day-to-day to-do list that I had forgotten to incorporate one crucial element into my life: giving. Whether you want to call it karma, cause and effect, or something else entirely, Burg and Mann have gotten it right: receiving without reciprocation is bad for business.

I made the decision to make a change and make it my mission to give. I started building connections and providing introductions that I had promised in the past but forgotten to follow through on. I used my Motorola Xoom tablet to make connections on social media networks on the spot as I’m interacting with people in person. I seek out reasons to establish meaningful relationships with more and more people around me.

But intentionality has a lot to do with the outcome of your endeavors, I’ve learned; you can’t have a quid pro quo attitude, constantly expecting equal exchanges from others. Instead, you must focus on acting purely for the sake of helping others, without selfish goals in mind. If you’re hoping to give merely to get, then you’ve overlooked the thematic issue in this post entirely. Here’s the thing, though: once you give without expectation, you will get back. Since realigning my focus, I’ve received introductions and opportunities I never thought possible. And for every two introduction I make, I get back at least one.

If your referrals have dried up, take a page from Go-Givers Sell More and make it a point to give business opportunities away to others.

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Filed Under: Business Development, Maryland Business Development, Outsourced Lead Generation Services, Sales Outsourcing, Sales Tips Tagged With: Bob Burg, business networking, business tips, business transactions, giving and getting, giving and receiving, go-givers sell more, how to increase business leads, increasing business referrals, John David Mann's, Networking, sales industry, sales tips, Springboard, the go-giver

How do you know if Outsourcing is right for you? 

August 24, 2012 by Karin Schwartz

You have heard about all of the benefits of outsourced sales. Outsourcing sales can save your business money. Outsourcing sales can increase your business’ profitability. Outsourcing sales can help you grow your business. Blah, blah blah…

You have heard that spiel over and over and over again. But you are still not sure that outsourcing sales is right for YOU and YOUR business. It is important to examine your mindset before outsourcing your organization’s sales to an outside entity.

“If you believe all sales people are evil, you’ll likely have a bad experience because you’ll hire someone that will ultimately fulfill your expectation,” says Springboard CEO Karin Schwartz. Sales outcomes are a snapshot into the organization itself, if there’s a problem in sales most likely it’s not the only department in trouble.

So before you think about outsourcing sales, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Do you need to see the person every day to believe they are working? If you need to see a salesperson each and every day, you may be a micromanager.  Micromanager has a negative connotation but let’s face it most of us business owners are to one degree or another, a micromanager.  And if this is true, outsourced sales may not be right for you. Remember, the more a salesperson is in the office, the less work they are actually doing.
  2. How long is your sales cycle? If your sales cycle is short where price is the dominating factor (transactional sales), then outsourced sales may not be right for you. You need volume not relationships.  If your sales cycle is longer and dependent on building relationships (relationship sales), then outsourcing may work for you and your business.
  3. Will your salesperson perform multiple tasks on a weekly basis? Do you need someone who can take on service and account management as well as sales? Most likely you are better off hiring 2 different people as these tend to be different skill sets but if you absolutely cannot do that, then focus on growing existing clients and hire someone who thrives on building relationships, who wants to take care of their clients, and who can ask for referrals.  This would be a full time hire.
  4. How technical does this salesperson need to be? It really doesn’t matter provided your sales person has access to someone who is technical who can assist them when the time comes to get into the highly technical details.
  5. What are my expectations of a sales person? As we said earlier, if you believe all sales people are evil, you’ll likely have a bad experience because you’ll hire someone that will ultimately fulfill your expectation.  That being said you need to determine and communicate how this person will be measured.  It’s certainly easier to “measure” the activity of a full time sales person.

So when should you outsource?

“You should consider outsourcing when you need someone with existing connections and relationships and you see value in the introduction but can handle the rest in-house,” says Schwartz. “Since we tend to be more cost effective than hiring full time and our consultants are fully entrenched in the areas our clients do business we can be far more efficient so essentially for the equivalent of hiring one full time business developer we can create of team of 3-6 highly experienced business development professionals who are having conversations with your prospects daily.”

If you have any questions about Outsourced Business Development, please contact Springboard Business Development by calling 410-832-7560 or click here today!

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Springboard offers outsourced sales solutions for businesses in the professional services arena. Our approach to business development makes it easy to find new clients without the financial burden of an in-house business developer.

At Springboard we know sales!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn as well!

Image URL: cpvconsulting.com

Filed Under: Business Development, Maryland Business Development, Outsourced Business Development, Sales Outsourcing, Sales Tips Tagged With: increased business profits, Karin Schwartz, outsources business development, outsources sales, outsourcing employees, relationship sales, sales cycles, sales outcomes, saving business money, Springboard, transactional sales

Outsourcing vs. Hiring a Full Time Business Developer: A Pricing Breakdown

August 17, 2012 by Karin Schwartz

In today’s economy, businesses are looking for ways to cut costs without hurting productivity and, most importantly, profitability. Some organizations are going paperless, others are cutting back on business trips, and still others are trying to more efficiently manage their current business practices.  Many of these organizations are completely overlooking one of their biggest costs…Business Development.  So whether you are business to business (B2B) or business to government (B2G) Business Development is more than just salary expenses and with belts tightening across the country it is imperative you’re getting value for the dollars you spend.  So how do you know what’s right for you?

Over the next couple of weeks we’ll review the cost structures, process and questions you need to ask yourself to determine the best avenue for you to grow your sales.

Average Salary for Business Developers

  1. B2B Business Developer: $70,000 + 20% for payroll taxes and benefits
  2. B2G Business Developer: $150k + 25% for taxes and benefits (government contractors tend to have substantial benefits packages due to the limited available supply of top talent)

Keep in mind, we’re based in Maryland so your state may be a little higher or lower.

And that is just the beginning. Then there are all of the extra costs that organizations often fail to consider, including:

  • Mileage Reimbursement: $500-800 average per month
  • Phone Reimbursement: $100 average per month
  • Event Fees: Federal events average about $35 a piece and you should expect your business developer to attend 4-5 each month totaling $140-175 per month, while B2B events range from $30-$250 each.  The more decision makers in attendance the higher the cost and there are far more to choose from so you should expect easily $500 per month in event feed for a B2B Business Developer.
  • Memberships: Federal market focused memberships are usually very inexpensive ranging from $35-150 per year and so you should budget for a minimum of $350 a year; B2B memberships can come in anywhere from $5000 to $10,000 annually.  I have memberships that range from $100 a year to those that are over $3000 annually.  On the very low end you should expect to pay a minimum of $5000 in memberships for your Business Developer to network with decision makers.
  • Client / Prospect Lunches: average $300 per month
  • Parking & Tolls: average $50 per month
  • And more! (don’t forget trade shows and travel)

When you add the above costs, you will have a better idea of the typical cost of hiring a full time, in-house business developer.  You certainly have options as to how you pay your full time Business Developer but keep in mind less pay = less experience = longer lag time = more of your time in training and potential lost opportunity.

Outsourced Business Development

More and more businesses are looking for alternatives to hiring full time and are turning to outsourced business development firms to cut costs.  Depending on the organization you talk with you can expect to pay fees anywhere from $3000 to $30,000 per month with hourly rates of $150-450.  I know business developers who charge $5000 per month to gain access to one agency, and others that charge $30,000 to get you on the GSA schedule.  I know outsourced business developers that repackage RFP’s found on FedBizOps and those that focus on multiple agencies at one time.  On the B2B side I know firms that still cold call; quite frankly I think that’s a waste of time of money and others that hire people with zero business development experience to be your outsourced Business Developer.  Outsourcing doesn’t always make sense but when it does it’s best to look for an organization that has strong existing relationships in the areas you wish to target, can work within a reasonable monthly budget and has deliverables of some kind.  Let’s be clear the deliverable cannot be X% increase in business or X number of sales because as you know sales is a risk and there are no guarantees.  Be very careful of someone who promises you the world.  Your goals should be based on activity, meetings, introductions, opportunities, etc.  Outsourced business developers put their relationships on the line to help you grow your business and they are dependent on you to do your part – come prepared, know your stuff, deliver, service, be respectful, do what you say you’re going to do and offer a reasonable price.

Here’s what we do at Springboard to give you an idea– our typical retainer starts in the $3-4000 per month range and we have a proposal out right now that’s for 6 Business Developers totaling $40,000 per month.  We have the flexibility to be as big or as small as you need.  We don’t believe in cold calling, we believe in building long term client relationships and our Business Developers are full entrenched in the areas in which they work – they aren’t building relationships, they already have them.  Based on our clients target markets, their need and capabilities we craft a team of high level Business Developers that can go to work immediately to bring them opportunities.  For Springboard we find that for what organizations typically pay in terms of salary for a single business developer we can give them 3-5 high-level business development experts.

If you have any questions about Outsourced Business Development, please contact Springboard Business Development by calling 410-832-7560 or click here today!

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Springboard offers outsourced sales solutions for businesses in the professional services arena. Our approach to business development makes it easy to find new clients without the financial burden of an in-house business developer.

At Springboard we know sales!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn as well!

Filed Under: Business Development, Maryland Business Development, Outsourced Business Development Tagged With: business development, business to business, business to government, event fees, mileage reimburesement, outsources business development, phone reimbursement, salaries for business developers, Springboard, Springboard Business Development

Vision: What is the Ultimate Purpose of your Business?

August 9, 2012 by Karin Schwartz

John Paul DeJoria is not your typical billionaire. He grew up with nothing. He was a member of a gang. He joined the navy. He bounced around from job to job. And he even lived in a car for some time.

“Rejection is part of being successful,” said DeJoria. “Successful people do all the things that unsuccessful people don’t want to do, like staying enthusiastic when you keep getting rejected.”

Through enthusiastic perseverance and through his experience in the hair industry (he was fired from 3 different jobs), DeJoria formed his own shampoo company after teaming up with Paul Mitchell. The two men didn’t have much money. In fact, they had just $700 to their names. What DeJoria and Mitchell did have was drive and a revolutionary product.

“Our shampoo you only had to use once instead of twice,” said DeJoria. “So for a hair dresser, it saves time and money.”

DeJoria and Mitchell made millions, becoming the largest, privately-held beauty company in the world. But that wasn’t enough. DeJoria went on to found Patron, which became even more successful than his line of Paul Mitchell products, making DeJoria a billionaire.

20/20 Billionaire Secrets Barbara Walters: John Paul DeJoria

“What do you think is the best part about being a billionaire?” asked Barbara Walters.

“I can make some major changes that affect the entire world – for economy, for ecology, and for humanity,” answered DeJoria. “I like to live well and I feel good about it because I know how much we give back. There is plenty for my family, now let’s take care of the rest.”

John Paul DeJoria Business Vision: Success unshared is failure!

What is your business vision? What is the ultimate purpose of your business? As we told you a few weeks ago, “people do not buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

Springboard’s Business Vision: To alter the perception of sales people so businesses can thrive, salespeople can be happier and their prospects can live in peace.

Maybe it is time to start thinking about why you do what you do!

If you have any questions about Business Development, please contact Springboard Business Development by calling 410-832-7560 or click here today!

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Springboard offers outsourced sales solutions for businesses in the professional services arena. Our approach to business development makes it easy to find new clients without the financial burden of an in-house business developer.

At Springboard we know sales!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn as well!

Filed Under: Business Development, Leadership Development Tips, Maryland Business Development Tagged With: 20/20, Baltimore, Barbara Walters, Billionaire Secrets, business development, Business Vision, John Paul DeJoria, Maryland, Patron, Paul Mitchell, Springboard

The WHY of Success: WHY do some Business Succeed when others Fail?

July 31, 2012 by Karin Schwartz

Why are some organizations more successful than others, despite being no more qualified than the competition?

Why are some leaders able to inspire when others are not, despite having no “special” attributes?

Why!?

Simon Sinek seeks to explain the WHY in his lecture, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action.


“The inspired leaders and the inspired organizations, regardless of their size, regardless of their industry, all think, act, and communicate from the inside out,” said Sinek. He further explained this theory using what he calls his Golden Circle.

 

What: Every organization and every leader knows what they do.

How: Some organizations and leaders know how they do what they do is better than the competition. For example: our computer is user friendly, our car gets great gas mileage, etc.

Why: Very few organizations and leaders know WHY they do what they do.

And no, profit is not a why. It is a result. The why is a purpose, a cause, or a belief. The why has to do with why your organization exists? You do not exist to turn a profit. If you do, your business might not be around very long.

Pursuing a result is a recipe for failure; it is what drives businesses into the ground. Pursuing a belief is what drives businesses to succeed, despite the odds. It is what drives prospects to you.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it,” said Sinek. “The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have; the goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.”

The WHY of Sales

The why, the belief, is the reason a prospect buys your product or service. And everyone’s why is different. Because of this, there is no one size fits all sales solution. The key to sales success is to understand your prospects why and respect that belief throughout the entire buying process. This is how you foster long, happy client relationships.

“They know you ‘get’ them,” said Springboard CEO Karin Schwartz. “They trust you; they believe in you.”

If you have any questions about Business Development, please contact Springboard Business Development by calling 410-832-7560 or click here today!

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Springboard offers outsourced sales solutions for businesses in the professional services arena. Our approach to business development makes it easy to find new clients without the financial burden of an in-house business developer.

At Springboard we know sales!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn as well!

Filed Under: Business Development, Leadership Development Tips, Maryland Business Development, Sales Tips Tagged With: Baltimore, business, business development, Golden Circle, Great Leaders, inspired leaders, Karin Schwartz, Maryland, prospects, Simon Sinek, Springboard, Success

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