Sales and Marketing
Assessment Training
What you need to know to pass the
SBSC assessment and get your
certification this weekend……
Disclaimer
I
am over 50 miles from home
 I do not know it all, or even what I
need to know
 I lead a team of 78 folks who serve the
SMB market
 I am still in business after 22 years
 You are on your own………….take
what I share and make it your own
Who’s Here
 Are
not already SBSC certified?
 Are
using the assessment toolkit?
 Have
someone dedicated to marketing
in your company? (>50% time)
Goals of the day
 Give
you all the information you need
to pass the assessment for SBSC
 Share key ideas about sales and
marketing you can take back and use
 Help you grow your business and
achieve your goals
 It all comes down to EXECUTION!
Our Agenda
A
Quick History Lesson on HTS
 Cramming for the Exam
 The Power of a System
 Business and Technology Assessment
Toolkit High Speed Training
 Marketing 101
 Other Important Stuff
A History Lesson on HTS
My Philosophy
“People are really what
matter. At the end of the
day, it’s all about the
people you are around and
touch.”
We sell technology but we are in the people
business. Sales and marketing are all about how
we relate to the people around us with consistency
and predictability.
Business is all about the relationship
Life in a Corn Field
Market Opportunity
Harlan
25,000 people within
30 mile radius
HTS Timeline













1985 – began business as a hobby
1990 – incorporated and became a real business
1991 – hired first employee
1999 – peak before the Y2K bust – 36 people
2001 – formed Heartland Tech Group (partner peer group)
2001 – acquired Denison company (2 employees)
2002 – acquired Shenandoah company (4 employees)
2003 – merged with Connecting Point Joplin (10 employees)
2003 – acquired Beacon Micro (10 employees)
2005 – new partnership with Blue Space (former employee)
2006 – merged with BCC Wichita (30 employees)
2006 – formed Heartland Tech Group 2 & 3 (partner peer groups)
2007 – formed/forming HTG+ – 12 (partner peer groups)
HTS Today
78 employees
8 offices
5 states
And growing
Two Unique Things
www.heartlandtechnologies.com
ww2.htgmembers.com
Step One on the SBSC Trail
Passing the Sales and Marketing
Assessment Exam
So What is Required
 To
become SBSC you must:
 Pass
the Sales and Marketing Assessment
 Pass one of three MCP exams
 Have an Action Pack
 Let’s
look at the process
Sign up to be an Small
Business Specialist
Where to start the SBSC
certification process
Online Training
The Assessment
 Current
test live until FY08 but likely
changes in August
 Scenario based exam
5
scenario’s with 4 questions in each
 Customer examples with questions about
how a small business partner would
address their needs
Let’s Pass The
Assessment
The Opportunity
 The
Small Business Market includes 77
million worldwide small businesses
and 40 million worldwide PC-using
small businesses.
Our Market Defined
 Small
business is 1-24 pc’s with
50 or less employees
 Low Mid Market is 25-50 pc’s
 Core Mid Market is 50-250 pc’s
 Upper Mid Market is 250-1000
pc’s
Know This Material
Small Business
Segmentation
IT Light
IT Basic
IT Dependant
IT Strategic
Small Business
Segmentation
IT Light
• 14%
IT Basic
• 28%
IT Dependant
• 22%
IT Strategic
• 36%
Business Priorities
IT Light
• Sales and cash flow
IT Basic
• Sales, cash flow and marketing
IT Dependant
• Sales, control costs, track time, cash flow, marketing
IT Strategic
• Enhance all from the IT Dependent list
Business Attitudes
IT Light
• Risk Averse
IT Basic
• Moderate Risk Takers
IT Dependant
• Moderate Risk Takers
IT Strategic
• Risk Takers
IT Attitudes
IT Light
• Not Integral
IT Basic
• Tool
IT Dependant
• Essential
IT Strategic
• Strategic
IT Drivers
IT Light
• Improve Life of Owner
IT Basic
• Straight Forward Answers to Questions
IT Dependant
• Improve Process and Efficiency
IT Strategic
• Make Money and Grow
IT Light
IT Basic
IT Dependent
IT Strategic
Who Cares
It matters because the level the prospect
or customer is in determines how you
approach them
It also matters because it gives you an
indication of the type of customer they
will be
The HTS Client Relationship
Type of
Service
Time and
Materials
Block Time
Managed
Complete
Characteristic
React
Maintain
Direct
Control
Ad Hoc
(Playing
the field)
Advisor
(Dating)
Consultant
(Engaged)
Business
Partner
(Married)
Risk
Client
Client Centric
Service
Partner Centric
Service
Partner
View
Cost
Center
Efficient Cost
Center
Business
Enabler
Strategic
Success
Factor
Speed of
Change
Months
Weeks
Days
Minutes
Process
Chaotic
Reactive
Proactive
Agile
Relationship
Factors That Control
Purchases
Price
Trust
Software performance
Compatibility with existing
systems
Attracting and Selling to
Small Businesses
Attract
Propose
Close
Support
Key Truth to
Remember
 Nothing
happens until the
sale is made!
 It
doesn’t matter how
good you are at being an
engineer or consultant, if
you don’t sell something
you will fail!
Proposal and Sale
Different technology solutions will be required for each segment
Create a winning sales message
Use a value proposition
Uncover your customer’s hidden concerns
Ask for the order
Provide solutions for their pain points
Be their business partner
Sample Question
Sample Question
Success
Now you are ready!
 Go
pass the exam as step one of your
SBSC journey!
The Power of a System
Having a real system is what makes
sales happen
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Microsoft Business and
Technology Assessment
Toolkit
What you need to know to be
successful
Why Assessments?
Create a foundation for lifelong client relationships
 Understand their business – short and long term
business goals
 Build win-win relationships
 “Peel the onion” and create a source of ongoing
opportunities that continues to grow
 Get a seat in their “boardroom” for decision making
processes
 Gain insights into how they do business every day

Business Opportunities in Small Business
Opportunity
is
NOWHERE
Opportunity
is NO
WHERE
Opportunity is
NOW HERE
Perspective makes all the difference in the
world
Business Opportunities in
Small Business
Technology Services
Infrastructure
Installation and
Maintenance
Customized
Client and Server
Software
Business Services
Installation
of LOB
Software
Configuration
of LOB
Software
Entry Points
Source: IDC
Requirements
Analysis
Business
Process
Analysis
New Opportunities to Leverage – One Example
What’s New in the Toolkit?

Design Concepts







Templates targeting different sizes of end users and focus
areas for assessment
Ability to customize the assessment
Ability to create and add new questions
Expand the question bank to cover more areas that impact
SMB clients
Self-updating feature that enables the toolkit to
automatically check for and download new revisions
Built upon InfoPath 2007 to provide a more robust
platform for growth
Toolkit Readiness Center – online resource to all things
partner around the toolkit
What the Toolkit and
Readiness Center Contain

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Six templates for Business Assessments
Three templates for Technical Assessments
One template for Vista
One template for Office 2007
One template for Mobility
One template for Messaging
One template for SWOT
Three-year planning template
Sample proposal template
Customizable sales and marketing tools
Datasheets, presentations, white papers and more
Assessment Steps


Perform the appropriate assessment(s)
Create an executive-level deliverable



Review summary to prioritize



Have client determine focus
Need to identify available budget
Create solution proposal to address needs



High level summary
Designed to call attention to areas of concern
Keep it simple
Break it into sections they can “eat”
Build a 3-year plan


Living document
Continue to go back and adapt
Defining and Marketing Your
Assessment Offering
Defining Your Offer

What are you going to do?



Type of assessment and deliverable
Follow-up activities
Business assessment – never give it away


Free means little or no value to many
Make it free without calling it free
Rebate back cost toward services
 Provide a gift to the prospect upon completion


Technical assessment – always has value


$500 - $5,000 being charged by partners
Pricing depends on deliverable being presented
Before You Are in the Door

Prepare your prospect




Set proper expectations before the visit
Provide documents to gather information ahead of the
assessment
Gain access to the right resources – need the owner for 1530 minutes
Prepare yourself



Do your homework
Know the toolkit well – it is a guide – not the main event
Know what you are planning to provide for a deliverable
so you can gather the information necessary
Before You Are in the Door

Practice a few times




You need to be able to read people and adapt the
conversation
Understand all the questions you have selected so there are
no surprises
Add questions that are important for your company to ask
Set aside proper time


For small businesses – 1-2 hours on-site with 2-4 hours in
prep and reporting
For larger businesses – 2-4 hours on-site with 8-12 hours in
prep and report
https://partner.microsoft.com/assesssmbneeds
Ready for Action
Now That You Are in the
Door

The key to delivering the right solution is to fully
grasp your prospects’ business





Understand their business
Dig deep for their key pain points
Introduce short-term solutions but drive toward long-term
planning
Key areas of the business assessment
Goal is to understand the prospect so you can create
a solution that is customized to their particular
situation and needs
Find the Pain
This Stuff Really Works
 Partner
Testimonial – Mitch
Miller
Dynamic Computer, Topeka KS
“It's amazing how many additional opportunities we
uncover when we do a Technology Assessment. The
customer feels like we've really built a partnership, instead
of just a computer company trying to sell them a bunch of
hardware and software. Our salespeople have a complete
list of opportunities to solve, not just stuff to sell.”
Impact of an Assessment
 Customer
Testimonial – Bob Irr, Barker
Implement
“The assessment process has helped us identify and eliminate basic
shortcomings that existed within our IT systems. We had potential problems
that we were not aware of. In every case we were shown the potential issue,
and then we were part of the process of deciding which items needed
attention and with what priority. The assessment has helped us to define a
vision for how we want to use technology and with this vision we have
helped our company be more efficient, productive and profitable.”
Performing the
Technical Assessment
Technical Assessment Step by Step
Technical Assessment Impact

Shortens the sales cycle


Creates a more professional image


The partner knows much more about their business
Technical Assessment for the IT guy


Reports change customer impressions
Opens a broader/deeper communication channel


Do a complete assessment, complete proposal
Involve the technical guru and make him part of the
process
Assessments are a good filter for customers


Lets you weed out the undesirable customers
If they won’t pay for this, they likely are not serious
Why a SWOT Assessment
is Important
SWOT
S
W
O
T
Key Pieces of SWOT Advice
Practice on your own business first, then use the
assessment within your business.
 Perform the SWOT assessment after the Business
assessment, or with clients that you know well.
 Don’t rush to jump directly from a SWOT topic to
an IT solution.
 Remember that different people will have different
opinions about the SWOT answers.
 Don’t be afraid that business topics are beyond the
reach of IT professionals.

Examples of Follow-up
Questions
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
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
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Could any of your weaknesses threaten your
business?
What are the most positive opportunities facing
your business?
What obstacles does your business face?
What are the key trends in your industry?
Why do prospects choose your business over others?
What resources are available for you to leverage in
growing your business?
Do you have some examples of how
________________ is a S,W,O,T?
Customizing the
Assessment
Building a Custom Template

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Design of toolkit allows you to build your own
customized templates
Can select groups of questions, general technology
areas, or customer size
Also have the ability to add your own questions
Can customize the assessment to individual
customers or specific focus areas for your business
Create and save customized templates for key
verticals or product areas you want your team to
assess
Ways to Improve Your
Assessments and Deliverables
Utilize the Toolkit and
Readiness Center
 Three-year
planning template
 Sample proposal
template
 Server deployment
guide
 Customizable sales
and marketing
tools
 Datasheets and
presentations
 White papers and
more
Four Currently Posted; 6 will be soon
Using the Data to Close Business
Out the Door
 Analyze






your findings
Review your notes immediately after the assessment process and
fill in any details you may not have noted during the interview
Compare the clients’ current environment with their stated goals
and needs
Carefully compare the needs of the client with the existing
resources and determine the gaps
Remember to verify that all resources are compatible with your
solution
Provide guidance in areas that are not up to industry standards
or best practices based on your experience
Draft the executive overview report in plain English and use
terminology that the audience will understand and relate to
Out the Door
 Prepare
your summary and connect the
dots
Build the solution proposal in logical groupings
 Provide detail as to how these sections will achieve
the goals identified in the assessment
 Build the proposal along side a 3-year IT plan which
is based on the prioritization of the assessment
findings by the prospect

Real Results


Out of 230 Survey Respondents over 4 months:

Approx. 72% of partners that conducted assessments closed
new sales

Over 70% of prospects who participated in assessments
converted to customers

Bigger deal size including other Microsoft products for
small businesses
Source: SB Technology Assessment Toolkit Survey
Mar-Jun, 2006
The really good stuff
Assess and Win
Plan of Action for New
Partners

Join an SBS User Group or peer group
http://ww2.htgmembers.com
 http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/enus/windowssbs/usergroups.mspx
 http://www.sbsgroups.com/default.aspx


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
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
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Attend industry events
Attend TS2 and TechNet events
Become an SBSC partner
Organize and plan your marketing
Participate in the Go To Market Campaigns
Execute events, mailings, seminars, etc.
Get involved with your local office
Summary

The Microsoft Business and Technology Assessment
Toolkit enables you to:

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




Understand your clients’ business objectives
Help clients understand their ongoing investment
Propose the right technology solution
Identify new opportunities
Create the foundation for a long-term relationship
Be a strategic partner, not just another computer guy
Download and use it:

https://partner.microsoft.com/assesssmbneeds
Sales and Marketing 101
What I need to know to make it
work for me
The Many Hats We Wear
Sales and
marketing
Mowing the
grass
Management
Inventory
ordering and
control
Finance and
accounting
Service
delivery
The Sales Role
Hunter
Farmer

Hunters look for
opportunities to
acquire new clients

Farmers continue to
capitalize on
opportunities in an
existing client base
Target
The Customer
Lifecycle
Vision
Vision is seeing the future
Vision is taking your passion
and purpose and putting it
into a plan of action
Vision comes from dreaming
dreams
Steps to your Vision
Development
Steps
Defines
Your
Answers
Changes
Purpose
Passion
Why do you exist?
Never
Principles
Values
What do you believe?
Never
Picture
Dream
Where are you going?
Periodically
Perspective
Vision
What do you see in your
future?
Periodically
Process
Mission &
Structure
How are you going to get
there?
Periodically
Plan
Actions &
Objectives
What will you do today?
Regularly
Pulse
Success
How are you doing?
Regularly
Strategic Future by Tony Morgan
Define Target

Who is your customer?




What is your value proposition?




Who are your existing customers?
Who is your target customer?
What defines an "ideal" customer prospect?
What is your value proposition to the customer?
What kind of ROI can your customer expect?
What pain are you eliminating?
How are you selling?




What does the sales process look like?
How will you reach the target customer?
What does it cost to "acquire" a customer?
What is your sales and marketing strategy?
Customer Expectations
What do we
want?
Service!
When do we
want it?
Where do we
want it?
Now!
Any where,
any place, any
time
Who really cares?
Profitability is directly related to
customer retention
Cost of acquisition of new customers is
far more than cost of retention
= Customers Matter
Business is all about the relationship
Market
• Getting mindshare
• Have a plan –
schedule it
• Multiple methods
• Direct mail
• Electronic mail
• Seminars
• Large events
• Newsletters
Sales and Marketing
Management
Lead
generation
Lead
conversion
Solution
delivery
Customer
satisfaction
The Process of marketing and selling
Referral
(lead)
generation
The Challenge of
Marketing
It takes time
Have to have a plan
Need consistent execution
Hard to measure
Requires a different skill set
Just not as fun as selling or installing
Can be effectively outsourced
Why a marketing
plan?
 Develop
objectives to meet
measureable goals
 Develop strategies to achieve objectives
 Develop and implement tactics to
support strategies
 Select
strategies that fit your market,
product/service mix and resources.
Marketing Resources
Leverage vendor investments to be successful
marketing as a partner
PartnerReach
Microsoft Partner Events
Microsoft Across America Van
Click to Attend
Microsoft Custom Collateral Tool
Distributor resources provided by Ingram (CAP
funds, DFE, BDM)
 Performance Based Market Development Funds
 Field resources from MS






Assess
• Systematic way to help a client evaluate their
situation
• Creates a deep and lasting relationship
• Continual source of opportunity – peel the onion
• Allows the client to budget and make strategic
investments
Build a Plan
Stages in Customer
Bonding

Awareness bonding - make the customer aware
of your firm's product or service
 Identity bonding - the customer begins to identify
with your firm's product or service
 Relationship bonding - customer move from an
arm's-length relationship to an interactive one
 Community bonding - company brings its
customers into relationships with one another based
on their shared interest in the firm's products and
services
Richard Cross and Janet Smith in Customer
Bonding
Educate

Newsletters









Interactive
Viral
Simple to Modify
Easily Tracked
Targeted/Personalized
Lunch & Learns
Seminars
Vendor Events
Joint Sales Calls with Vendors
Marketing Idea




E-Newsletters
Monthly newsletter emailed
Purpose is to educate and create
awareness
Use Constant Contact to measure
success – tracks click throughs
Service we offer to other partners –
currently over 110 partners
reaching over 100,000 end users
Take Control

Quote from Tom Peters, management guru
 “Don’t
just listen to the consumer and
react; lead the consumer”

Our role is to educate the customer around
the technologies that will positively impact
their business and then lead them to the
place where they want to pay you to procure
and implement them in their business
Acquire
 Resist
the urge to sell a client what they
ask for
 Make sure they fit your target profile
 Once you have them as a client – keep
them for life

Goal = LIFELONG CUSTOMER
RELATIONSHIPS
Invest in Tools
 CRM/Service
Management
 Connectwise
 Quoting
 Quotewerks
 Accounting
 Dynamics
 Managed
 Zenith
Services
Infotech
 Kaseya
Implement

Standards = become predictable

Same every time
Installation
 Customer experience
 Billing
 Support process

Document in detail
 Inform continually
 Interact


Many different faces throughout the process
Train

Structured





Continual


Have a plan
Schedule it
Communicate it clearly
Charge for it
Create an expectation of continued growth with
the solution
Professional

Have syllabus, learning objectives and surveys
Maintain
Quality of service is what keeps a customer
Build business with customer loyalty
The customer is always right.
Be honest with your customers. If you can’t
do something, be honest about it
 Add value by bringing ideas that will help
move their business forward and lead to
growth




The HTS Client Relationship
Type of
Service
Time and
Materials
Block Time
Managed
Complete
Characteristic
React
Maintain
Direct
Control
Ad Hoc
(Playing
the field)
Advisor
(Dating)
Consultant
(Engaged)
Business
Partner
(Married)
Risk
Client
Client Centric
Service
Partner Centric
Service
Partner
View
Cost
Center
Efficient Cost
Center
Business
Enabler
Strategic
Success
Factor
Speed of
Change
Months
Weeks
Days
Minutes
Process
Chaotic
Reactive
Proactive
Agile
Relationship
Measure

Do routine surveys
•
•




Electronic
Phone by someone other than the normal company contacts
Record information to build history
Respond quickly to any issues
Create a system to track resolution
Have executive management involved in
monitoring satisfaction
 Goal
 Goal
is not customer satisfaction
is customer SUCCESS
Evaluate
Go back on at least a quarterly basis to
continue to execute the plan
 Use three year plan to keep client focused
 Update the plan at least twice a year


Customer Relationships are a process. You
have to continue to stay disciplined to take
the relationship farther. It does not happen
automatically.
Benchmark
 Get
involved in affinity or peer groups
to compare your business with others
 Share best practice ideas
 Learn industry trends and coming
opportunities
 Avoid mistakes made by others
Peer Interaction
Distributor Affinity Groups
-Venturetech Network (Ingram)
-Tech Select (Tech Data)
-SMB Alliance (Ingram)
Membership Groups
-The ASCII Group Inc.
-Comptia
Focused Peer Groups
-True Profits Group
-Heartland Tech Group
Industry Events and Activites
-User Groups
-Xchange
-Vision Events
ww2.htgmembers.com
Execute
The Execution Gap is the greatest
unaddressed issue in the business world
today.
- Ram Charan
Author – Execution The
Discipline of Getting Things Done
Contact Information
www.heartlandtechnologies.com
asorensen@heartlandtechnologies.com
Other Areas to Consider
Things you need to address to be
successful long term
Quoting
 Value
of a quality Quote
 Partner
 Customer
 Quoting
tools
 Quoting techniques
 Quoting process
 Integration with 3rd party resources and
systems
Scoping work
 Value
of a Scope of Work
 Partner
 Customer
 Scoping
process between Sales and
Service
 Scoping document options
 Internal reviews
 External reviews
 Sign-offs and change orders
Vendor management
programs
Vendor
selection process
Vendor programs
Vendor engagement process
Vendor training
Vendor reporting
Pricing and gross
margin
Labor
Product
Managed
Services
How is pricing determined?
What are common grow margins
for the industry?
Compensation
Base
salary
Bonus or commission programs
Special incentives
Consistency
Sales team
management
 Split
responsibilities
 Dedicated Sales Manager
 Employee goals and objectives
 Employee reviews
 Coaching
 Training
 Regular meetings
Metrics and Key
Performance
Indicators
 Activity
points
 Appointments per week
 Average deal size
 Gross margin dollars
 Campaign ROI
CRM tools
 Standalone
applications
 ACT
 Goldmine
 Integrated
systems
 AutoTask
 ConnectWise
 SalesForce.com
Thank You
Q&A