Using Emails to Get Partners Who Will Help You Sell
TLDRIn this engaging conversation, the speakers discuss the intricacies of executing a partnership-based strategy for outbound sales. They delve into the evolution of sales approaches from one-to-one to many-to-many, emphasizing the importance of understanding and leveraging the ecosystem surrounding an account. The discussion highlights the significance of gathering intelligence from partners, influencing decision-makers through third-party validation, and making strategic introductions. The speakers stress the need for sellers to be customer-obsessed, building trust, and utilizing social capital effectively to facilitate sales and partnerships in the modern landscape.
Takeaways
- 🌟 The future of outbound sales is moving from a one-to-one approach to a many-to-many model, involving more strategic and ecosystem-based strategies.
- 🤝 Partnerships play a crucial role in expanding outreach and providing a surround sound effect for prospects, enhancing the overall sales strategy.
- 📧 The art of writing emails and crafting messages to third parties, such as partners, is essential for effective outreach and introductions.
- 🎯 Understanding and leveraging the relationships that partners have within the target accounts can lead to more informed and strategic sales efforts.
- 💡 The importance of trust in sales cannot be overstated; it is the currency that facilitates connections and smooth transactions within a network.
- 🚀 The concept of 'near bound' is introduced as a strategic approach to sales, emphasizing surrounding and understanding the ecosystem of the target account.
- 📈 The role of partners in providing intelligence (Intel) about target accounts is vital for salespeople to align their offerings with the prospects' strategic priorities.
- 🔄 The idea of influence and intro plays in partnerships is highlighted, where partners can indirectly influence decision-makers or introduce salespeople to key stakeholders.
- 🛠️ The script underscores the need for sellers to be equipped with the right tools and strategies to navigate the complex landscape of modern sales effectively.
- 📅 The Near Bound Summit is promoted as a platform for sales professionals to learn and discuss the future of sales, with a focus on partnership strategies and outbound tactics.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the conversation between the speaker and Jared Fuller?
-The main focus of the conversation is discussing partnership-based strategies, the future of outbound sales, and how to execute effective outreach by utilizing various plays in the sales process.
What does the speaker mention about the evolution of outbound sales?
-The speaker mentions that outbound sales are evolving from a one-to-one approach to a many-to-many model, where salespeople are moving beyond just individual connections and are now engaging with multiple personas and stakeholders within an account.
How does the speaker describe the importance of understanding the customer's perspective?
-The speaker emphasizes that understanding the customer's perspective is crucial because it helps salespeople build trust and credibility. It's important to focus on the customer's challenges and goals rather than just promoting the product or service.
What is the significance of the 'Intel Play' in the sales process?
-The 'Intel Play' is significant because it involves gathering intelligence from partners and other sources to gain a deeper understanding of the target account's priorities, challenges, and initiatives. This information helps salespeople tailor their approach and messaging more effectively.
What is the role of third-party data in the sales process?
-Third-party data provides salespeople with additional insights and context about the target account. However, it's often not as reliable or detailed as first-hand information obtained directly from partners or other trusted sources within the customer's ecosystem.
How does the speaker suggest salespeople should approach their relationships with partners?
-The speaker suggests that salespeople should approach their relationships with partners as a two-way street, where both parties benefit. They should focus on building trust, providing value, and making it easy for partners to help them by providing clear and actionable requests.
What is the 'Influence Play' in the sales process?
-The 'Influence Play' involves leveraging the relationships and credibility of partners to influence decision-makers within a target account. This can help reignite stalled conversations or encourage prospects to take a meeting with the salesperson.
What is the 'Intro Play' and when is it used?
-The 'Intro Play' is when a partner or a person within the customer's ecosystem makes a direct introduction to a key decision-maker on behalf of the salesperson. This is considered the 'Holy Grail' of the sales process as it can significantly increase the chances of securing a meeting or advancing the conversation.
What is the speaker's perspective on the role of social capital in sales?
-The speaker views social capital as a critical currency in sales. It helps build trust, which in turn saves time and money by allowing salespeople to skip unnecessary steps in the sales process. Salespeople should aim to increase their social capital by helping partners get closer to their customers and gain more influence.
What advice does the speaker give to salespeople who are struggling to get the help they need from partners?
-The speaker advises salespeople to understand the relationships that exist around the accounts they own and to make it easy for partners to help them. They should also ensure that their requests are informed and do not risk the partner's relationship with the customer.
How does the speaker describe the future of outbound sales?
-The speaker describes the future of outbound sales as moving towards a many-to-many model, where salespeople are not just focused on one-to-one interactions but are also engaging with multiple stakeholders within an account to create a surround sound effect and gain a next-level view of the account.
Outlines
🤝 Introduction and Outbound Strategy Discussion
The conversation begins with the host expressing excitement about discussing partnership-based strategies with Jared Fuller. They talk about the upcoming Near Summit and the future of outbound sales, emphasizing a shift from one-to-one to a many-to-many approach. The host speaks from experience, having spoken about the future of outbound from a hotel room in Nashville. They delve into the concept of involving third parties to enhance the sales process and gaining a comprehensive view of prospects' needs.
🎯 Trust and Sales Strategy
The discussion shifts to the importance of trust in sales, with the host highlighting that trust comes from helping clients reach their goals. Jared emphasizes that salespeople should understand the types of people influencing their clients and build relationships around the account. The conversation touches on the need to focus on the client's struggles and bring in those who've been successful to provide insights. The host also mentions the concept of 'near bound' and its significance in sales.
🔍 Gathering Intel from Partners
Jared and the host discuss the value of gathering intel from partners in the market. They emphasize the need for salespeople to understand their clients' strategic priorities and how partners can help in this process. The conversation explores the importance of focusing on the client's perspective and leveraging partnerships to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and challenges. They also discuss the concept of second-party data and its benefits in sales.
🤔 Partner Relationships and Account Ownership
The conversation delves into the dynamics of partner relationships and account ownership. The host and Jared discuss the importance of understanding the ecosystem surrounding an organization and the planning that goes into successful sales. They touch on the concept of social capital and its role in influencing sales outcomes. The host also raises the issue of organizations not fully utilizing their partners due to a lack of understanding of the relationships around their accounts.
📈 Strategic Account Planning and Partner Collaboration
Jared and the host continue their discussion on strategic account planning and the role of partners in the sales process. They talk about the importance of understanding the entire organization and mapping out the key players. The conversation highlights the need to surround an account with multiple contacts and gather information from various sources to gain a comprehensive view. They also discuss the impact of agency and service partner relationships on intel gathering.
🚀 Leveraging Partnerships for Sales Momentum
The host and Jared discuss different plays for leveraging partnerships to create sales opportunities and move deals forward. They cover the Intel play, influence play, and intro play, explaining how each can be used at different stages of the sales cycle. The conversation emphasizes the importance of making it easy for partners to help and maintaining a balance in the partnership ecosystem. They also discuss the psychological aspects of sales, such as cognitive load and social capital.
📣 Promoting the Near Bound Summit
The conversation concludes with a promotion for the upcoming Near Bound Summit. The host encourages attendees to register for the event, highlighting the valuable insights and strategies that will be discussed. Jared provides details on how to sign up and the benefits of attending, including a workbook to help with sales planning. They express excitement about the event and the opportunity to delve deeper into the topics discussed during their conversation.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Outbound Strategy
💡Partnership
💡Sales Intelligence (Intel)
💡Influence
💡Near Bound
💡Account Executive (AE)
💡Social Capital
💡Strategic Account Plans
💡Sales Ecosystem
💡Cognitive Load
Highlights
Conversation with Jared Fuller about partnership-based strategy and the future of outbound sales.
Discussion on the evolution of sales from one-to-one to many-to-many, incorporating third parties for a surround sound approach.
Importance of understanding and leveraging the relationships that partners have with your target accounts.
The concept of 'near bound' sales, focusing on surrounding accounts with relationships and influence.
The need for salespeople to be customer-obsessed rather than quota-obsessed, building trust through understanding customer needs.
The role of partners in providing intelligence (Intel) about target accounts, enhancing sales strategies.
The significance of second-party data from partners, offering higher resolution insights compared to third-party sources.
Strategies for gathering Intel from partners, such as understanding their strategic priorities and business initiatives.
The impact of trust in sales, emphasizing that trust comes from helping customers reach their goals.
The concept of 'Intel play' in sales, using information from partners to gain a competitive edge.
The transition from Intel gathering to influence, where partners can help advance the sales process.
The 'intro play' in sales, where partners introduce the salesperson to key decision-makers within target accounts.
The importance of making it easy for partners to help, by providing them with the necessary tools and information.
The psychological aspects of sales and partnerships, including cognitive load, reciprocity, and social capital.
The upcoming Near Bound Summit, featuring speakers discussing the future of GTM and sales strategies.