Televerde » Sales & Mktg Exec Insight Series

Participate in Exec Insight Series Interviews

Larry Fleischman — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:30:43 +0000

We invite you to participate in Televerde’s “Sales & Marketing Executive Insight Series.” Send me an email at larry.fleischman@televerde.com and let me know that you’d like to participate. I’ll email you the questionnaire. Respond to the questions and email it back to me and we’ll publish it. There are a variety of questions – feel free to answer all of them or provide your responses to only the questions you’re most comfortable with. None of the questions are mandatory. What is preferred though is an economy of words in your responses (blog brevity). Don’t hesitate to create some of your own unique questions if you’d like. If you have any questions, contact Larry at 480-517-6137. Thanks.

Exec Interview: Stuart Long, Capsule

Larry Fleischman — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:50:33 +0000

Featuring Stuart Long, Vice President of Sales, North America, Capsule Technologies

As part of our Sales & Marketing Executive Insight Series, Televerde is please to publish the following interview with Stuart Long, Vice President of Sales, North America, Capsule Technologies. Based in Paris, France and Andover, Massachusetts, Capsule is the leading, vendor-neutral medical device connectivity provider, and has been for over 12 years. Their proven solution is FDA 510(k) cleared and features the largest number of installed medical devices. Over 500 hospitals worldwide have chosen Capsule for their device integration needs.

What company or companies do you admire most (besides your own) and why?

REI because of how they are committed to the environment and their employees, their business model, and their passion for outdoors.

When customers and prospects consider the Capsule brand and the key value proposition of your products and services, what is that you want to come to their minds and resonate?

Nursing efficiency and patient safety through bio-medical device connectivity.

What are the three most important topics of discussion currently taking place within your sales and marketing organization?

Achieving quarterly quota, demand generation, sales methodology and reporting via salesforce.com.

Why are these topics important?

Prior to my arrival, we had a record of inconsistent sales performance, or at least not well-documented performance. I’m building a world-class sales team so this topic has taken on significant importance and is being addressed. In addition, my funnel to quota is currently 1:1 and I need it to be at least 3:1.

What are the most important metrics that your sales and marketing organization cares about and why?

Order intake and invoicing, performance against plan and previous years, qualified lead generation and market awareness. These metrics are important to drive market penetration and increase sales.

Recognizing that all sales and marketing organizations occasionally have “relationship issues,” how are you overcoming them?

Weekly integrated meetings, revamping marketing’s mindset that sales is their customer and everything they do must relate or convert into a sale. Weekly ‘what’s working & what’s not working’ deep dives. Implementation of inside sales and integrating marketing to create effective lead conversions and lead nurturing programs.

What are some of the practices you’re using that are effectively enabling a stronger flow of better quality leads for your sales organization?

Televerde profiling campaigns, lead generation, as well as the above mentioned processes. Ideally treating converted leads to unqualified opportunities and using inside sales to get them to qualified at 10% or even 25% before turning over to the field. Ensuring no opportunity is neglected, or in other words, No Lead Left Behind!

What is the biggest impact you’re seeing from your social media activities?

Excellent marketing awareness. Our CNO is now named in top 10 nurses to follow on Twitter. Numerous blog and tweets bring many leads now from hospitals and surprisingly many consulting firms. Additionally, viral video distribution via YouTube is bringing about greater awareness. We track and measure everything social media does for us.

What specific impact has the economic adjustment had on your sales and marketing strategies and programs?

Reduction in awareness programs and a highlighted need to focus dollars on increasing qualified funnel.

What are some of the biggest changes that have taken place in your sales and marketing organization over the past three years and why have these changes occurred?

We’ve seen significant growth, even in a downturned economy. To me this demonstrates that technology that truly aids in efficiency, productivity and ROI will remain top of mind in our industry as healthcare institutions are driven to increase patient safety, do more with less and adopt government mandates for electronic healthcare records. Interestingly, much of our view has changed from demonstrating our ability to enable meeting these demands to creating a new market segment where we see new competitive pressure from upstarts and validation of major healthcare vendors. This has caused a spin-off of division and/or solutions to meet these developing market demands. In summary, we’ve seen not only growth, we’re seeing different buying behaviors and learning how to market and sell to a very dynamic market keeps us on our toes.

In terms of allocation of energy and resources to sales demand creation and sales pipeline acceleration, which area is getting most of your focus and why?

Both have our highest attention with awareness campaigns directly behind that. I have a probablized funnel that is 40% of my annual quota. I absolutely must increase the funnel with qualified opportunities as well as mature my lowest percentage probabilities as just over 50% of my funnel is in the 10% stage.

What is your process for evaluating demand creation activities in your organization and determining what changes are necessary?

None, I have used Televerde at four different companies for many years – I simply make a call.

Two steps: 1) Converting a marketing lead (irrespective of source) to an unqualified opportunity and using inside sales to determine the right party contact (RPC) and buying analysis. Mature the opportunity to ‘qualified’ and either hand it to field sales at a hot 10% or warm 25%. (Eliminating much of the ‘busy work’ from field sales and give them a pure license to hunt real deals.) 2) Determine lead/opportunity viability, if not viable as an opportunity then convert to marketing for a process in which the lead is tracked and we create a relationship with that prospect in numerous ways (Tier 1 through 5) like email campaigns, white papers, blogs, social media, webinars, etc. The goal is to convert those leads back to opportunities in the future. Ideally, we will increase conversion and close rates of what would have been abandoned leads to opportunities and ultimately won deals.

No, I think it will increase. Social media creates a ‘convenient’ method of communication, in which prospects and companies can respond to methods (and at their convenience) that are best suited for them.

What do you feel is the strategic-focused thought process that companies should go through when considering to outsource their demand center activities?

Proof is in the pudding – find a company that has walked the walk and can prove it.

Recognizing the critical importance of marketing data to the success of your demand creation and lead nurturing programs, what key talking points would we hear in your “State of the Data” speech to your sales and marketing organization?

Utilize best practices. Study leaders vs. laggards and implement what the leaders do. Excellent is as Excellent does.

What is your crystal ball revealing to you about the future state – let’s say 2-3 years from now – of your sales and marketing organization?

We’re a small company. If we were to be looked at for an acquisition, our processes, data, methodology, discipline and proven success is what would raise eyebrows.

What book are you reading now or have you recently read that you would recommend to others?

“Why Work Sucks, and How To Fix It”

Exec Interview: Kirk Reid, Chamberlin Edmonds

Larry Fleischman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:00:17 +0000

Featuring Kirk Reid, Executive Vice President, Chamberlin Edmonds

As part of our Sales & Marketing Executive Insight Series, Televerde is please to publish the following interview with Kirk Reid, Executive Vice President, Chamberlin Edmonds. Based in Atlanta, Chamberlin Edmonds provides services to over 200 clients in 30 states and have 13 people in their sales and marketing organization. Kirk has been with the company for seven years. Chamberlin Edmonds provides eligibility and enrollment services to hospitals, governments, and managed health care organizations. On behalf of its clients, the company helps disabled, indigent and uninsured patients navigate the often-complex application processes necessary to receive Social Security disability benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, crime victims’ compensation, and charity care. Founded in 1986, the company operates through about 10 regional offices across the U.S.

What company or companies do you admire most (besides your own) and why?
Med Assets – they aggressively promote, execute flawlessly and their leaders operate with the highest levels of integrity.

When customers and prospects consider your brand and the key value proposition of your products and services, what is that you want to come to their minds and resonate?
High quality, customer-centric services delivered in the most efficient manner possible – provided by the industry leader with unquestioned integrity.

What are the three most important topics of discussion currently taking place within your sales and marketing organization?
New product development, expanding addressable markets, and strengthening client relationships

Why are these topics important?
We have a long, consistent record of organic growth, and healthcare reform discussions and the economy are creating significant issues and causing many competitors to take desperate measures to grow share. It is essential that we hold tightly to our customers and find unique ways to leverage existing customer growth opportunities and discover/exploit new markets.

What are the most important metrics that your sales and marketing organization cares about and why?
Qualified leads, pipeline additions, decisions and wins. We have a very predictable model – as long as we can keep our pipeline filled with quality leads we will drive new business

Recognizing that all sales and marketing organizations occasionally have “relationship issues,” how are you overcoming them?
We have a very robust client management protocol that creates an early detection system. The entire organization is involved in ensuring that we build strong relationships throughout all constituencies within our customers. The program includes establishing clear performance metrics, managing and communicating on our performance against those metrics consistently while also building strong personal relationships at senior levels. Additionally we use an outside third party to do random client interviews and post mortems on lost deals as well as survey tools that provide us objective feedback on client perceptions.

What are some of the practices you’re using that are effectively enabling a stronger flow of better quality leads for your sales organization?
Establishing distinct initiatives and efforts on four fronts – Televerde, direct sales force, channel partners and client referrals. Close management and communication around goals and performance is critical

What is the biggest impact you’re seeing from your social media activities?
An increase in public relations opportunities – we have used these media on a very limited basis up to this point but are increasing significantly in 2010.

What specific impact has the economic adjustment had on your sales and marketing strategies and programs?
Our business remains strong and we are committed to continuing to invest at historical levels or above.

What are some of the biggest changes that have taken place in your sales and marketing organization over the past three years and why have these changes occurred?
Inconsistent production on a regional basis. We have much less presence in certain geographic areas of the country and it is tougher to grow at desired pace without the solid reference base. This leads to more dependence on higher share markets where addressable markets are smaller.

In terms of allocation of energy and resources to sales demand creation and sales pipeline acceleration, which area is getting most of your focus and why?
Our Televerde partnership is certainly one – they have proven to be a reliable, consistent channel and they are proactive in assessing our needs and offering creative services. As mentioned before we are investing in social media this year as well.

What is your process for evaluating demand creation activities in your organization and determining what changes are necessary?
We use ROI analysis. If it doesn’t meet expectation within a prescribed timeframe we stop investing and look at alternatives.

The term “lead nurturing” is sometimes tossed around too easily without clear definition. When you discuss the topic internally with your sales and marketing staff, what parameters do you put around it?
Keeping a potential opportunity warm and in the incubator if timing or our current services don’t offer a good solution for their needs.

With increasing industry attention on marketing automation and social media tools, do you feel that the impact of and need for traditional human dialogues between vendors and their customers and prospects will diminish?
Not at all – analyzing and discussing inputs from these new tools is critical determine their value.

What do you feel is the strategic-focused thought process that companies should go through when considering to outsource their demand center activities?
Evaluating ability, capacity and opportunity costs of internal resources.

What is your crystal ball revealing to you about the future state – let’s say 2-3 years from now – of your sales and marketing organization?
A larger direct sales force leveraging effective channel partners and client referrals armed with new products attacking new markets and supported by outsourced services and new medias.

What book are you reading now or have you recently read that you would recommend to others?
“Hope is Not a Strategy”

Exec Interview: Larry Fleischman, Televerde

Larry Fleischman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:53:23 +0000

Featuring Larry Fleischman, Practice Director, Branding and Go-to-Market Strategies & Solutions, Televerde

As part of our Sales & Marketing Executive Insight Series, Televerde is please to publish the following interview with Larry Fleischman, Practice Director, Branding and Go-to-Market Strategies & Solutions, Televerde. Based in Phoenix, Televerde is a strategic outsourced provider of sales demand creation, conversion and acceleration solutions for B2B companies with a specialty in the high-tech market. The company has 15 years of experience with the biggest names in IT – software, hardware, services. There are 22 people in Televerde’s sales and marketing organization who are directly involved in generating new business for the company. Larry has been with Televerde for three years.

What company do you admire most (besides your own) and why?

Apple has always impressed and inspired me. They’re the epitomy of innovation. The Steve Jobs comeback followed by the Apple comeback is an intriguing story to follow and demonstrates the power and value of strong, focused leadership. The Apple brand conjures clear images of innovation, customer-centric thinking and market focus.

When customers and prospects consider your brand and the key value proposition of your products and services, what is that you want to come to their minds and resonate?

Highly productive demand creation and demand discovery coordinated through unequalled human touch techniques by an amazing group of people. The socially responsible aspect of our business makes us unique (I like to think of it as a positive form of co-dependency) and if my Televerde dreams come true our uniqueness would be well-recognized, understood and accepted by all as a major driver of the results we produce.

What are the three most important topics of discussion currently taking place within your sales and marketing organization and why?

Lead nurturing followed by data, data, data. The onset of marketing automation fascinates us. And by fascinating I don’t mean we necessarily think it’s the answer to all marketing prayers like some marketers do, but rather we want to see what it can do and where it’s best applied in the mix. The underlying marketing automation concept of applying the relevant message at the right time makes perfect sense. Having said that, we’re cautious adopters and plan to carefully observe while deploying so we can advise our clients appropriately. In terms of data, every conversation we have internally and with clients includes a direct or indirect reference to it. If there was a Televerde flag, the stripes would be represented by our staff and the stars would be represented by our data. We’re in a constant state of self-improvement and examination. How can we enrich the data? What is the data telling us? How can we use it more effectively? How can we make the point about data more strongly to clients? The answers to these questions aren’t static, so we keep asking and keep talking.

What are the most important metrics that your sales and marketing organization cares about and why?

Depends on who you ask. Definitely Inquiry to Closed/Won Business but also all the pipeline conversion metrics in between. Customer sat metrics are equally critical. Our 90% c-sat metrics are good but they’re not 100% and they waiver, so we have work to do. The other metrics are, unashamedly, revenue and profit. We’re a socially responsible business but we’re also a for-profit enterprise business. The profits enable us serve more of all of our audiences in better ways.

Recognizing that all sales and marketing organizations occasionally have “relationship issues,” how are you overcoming them?

Voluntary interventions! At Televerde Sales and Marketing is one unit. With the exception of a few remote staff, the sales & marketing unit resides in about 1,500 square feet of office space. So we’re in each other’s space and face all the time. When an issue comes up we can’t avoid it, so it bubbles up quickly and tends to get resolved just as fast. It also helps that because of the business we’re in we are keenly aware of sales and marketing gaps and the problems they can cause, so we have a vested interest in closing them to prove to others they can be closed. I believe we’ve resolved some of the more common sales-marketing issues like lead definition, what is an MQL vs. SQL, lead leakage, does the potential client fit our brand, etc.

What are some of the practices you’re using that are effectively enabling a stronger flow of better quality leads for your sales organization?

We keep the inside sales team’s activities flowing by deploying multiple marketing campaigns, transferring knowledge to the sales team so they can have more productive conversations with their prospects that lead to more qualified leads quicker, and leverage clients for referrals, penetrate deep and wide within our targeted account base to forge more meaningful relationships. And it goes without saying that human contact is a main outreach channel for us.

What is the biggest impact you’re seeing from your social media activities?

Hmmm, that it consumes a lot of my mind space and probably not enough of my actual time implementing. There are so many social media ‘things’ to keep track of. It really is a little mind-boggling. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube and monitoring activities in those places. Are we getting a ton of traction from social media? No, not yet. Do I remain hopeful? Yes. Do I think it’ll generate an abundance of new leads for Televerde? I am a bit of a skeptic at this point but my mind is open and I’m willing to experiment more. What do I really think its impact will be? A great tool for reputation management. I’m about to activate a trial of a tool called Radian6 to help me keep me pulse on what our markets are talking about. I’ll keep you posted.

What are some of the biggest changes that have taken place in your sales and marketing organization over the past three years and why have these changes occurred?

Must greater focus on targeted accounts because these are companies that can be game-changers for Televerde when they become clients. A lot more knowledge access and knowledge transfer because we have to be smarter than our clients. Emphasis on new and enriched products because we have to retain our market leadership position and meet our clients’ demands to do more, better, faster (a Televerde mantra). More value proposition training because we have to differentiate and resonate. Taking more of a consultative approach with our clients because we know the right things to do and want our clients to do those things. And of course a much greater emphasis on data strategies and nurturing opportunities.

No! The vendor-customer and vendor-prospect relationship requires clear and ongoing communication in all of its forms. Digital is only one dimension of the communication process. To ignore or diminish voice-to-voice and face-to-face human touch limits the conversation, minimizes the value of the relationship, and reduces the possibilities. If anything we need to more focused on human contact and dialogue than ever before because our communication skills will be the reality check on digital behavior.

What book are you reading now or have you recently read that you would recommend to others?

“Focus” by Al Ries. I’ve been trying to make my way through it for the last three weeks but I tend to get distracted.