Episode Summary: In this episode of the Technical Seller Podcast, host Pierre Hulsebus dives into two powerful sales hacks that can transform your tech sales strategy: email automation and customer segmentation. Pierre shares insights from his extensive experience in the CRM industry, offering practical tips on leveraging CRM data, prioritizing tasks, and blending automation with a personal touch.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. Introduction

   • Welcome and introduction by Pierre Hulsebus.
   • Overview of the episode’s focus on email automation and customer segmentation.

2. Importance of Customers

   • Emphasis on the value of customers over products.
   • Anecdotes about the challenges of working in a store without customers.

3. Sales Hacks Overview

   • Introduction to the two main sales hacks: email automation and customer segmentation.
   • Discussion on the impact of these hacks on sales efficiency and effectiveness.

4. Email Automation

   • Strategies for personalizing and automating follow-ups.
   • The role of CRM systems in managing email tasks and follow-ups.
   • Tips for avoiding over-implementation of CRM systems.

5. Customer Segmentation

   • Simplifying customer segmentation into four categories: A, B, C, and D customers.
   • Focus on B customers as the most growable and valuable segment.
   • Strategies for nurturing and converting B customers into loyal A customers.

6. Practical Tips and Strategies

   • Leveraging CRM data to identify and prioritize customer segments.
   • Using automation tools like Outlook and CRM systems to manage tasks and follow-ups.
   • Balancing automation with a personal touch to enhance customer relationships.

7. Engaging with Leads

   • Creative strategies for engaging with cold leads, such as the “Pizza Friday” team event.
   • Importance of team morale and learning from experienced salespeople.

8. Reflection and Growth

   • Encouragement to reflect on sales strategies and set challenging goals.
   • Importance of intentional growth and regular check-ins with managers.

9. Conclusion

   • Recap of the key takeaways: focusing on B customers for growth and leveraging CRM tools effectively.
   • Invitation to visit techsales110.com for more resources and community support.

Additional Resources:

• Visit techsales110.com for step-by-step strategies, in-depth classes, and a supportive community of tech sales professionals.
• Learn about the initiative to empower students in Ghana and underserved communities in the US through STEAM educational programs at expandingboundaries.org.

Call to Action:

• Subscribe to the Technical Seller Podcast for more episodes packed with actionable sales tips and strategies.
• Hit the like button if you found this episode helpful and share it with your network!

Link to Book: Link In this bonus episode, we explore how key principles from The Lean Startup by Eric Ries can elevate your approach to technical selling. Learn how to apply the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop to continuously improve your sales strategies, deliver value to clients, and stay ahead in today’s fast-paced tech landscape. Whether you’re working with cutting-edge IT solutions or helping clients navigate digital transformation, this approach will help you make data-driven decisions and fine-tune your offerings for success. We’ll also discuss some of the book’s limitations and how to adapt these principles for complex sales cycles and non-tech industries.

Tune in to see how this method can make your solutions indispensable to your customers. 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to The Technical Seller for more insights, tools, and strategies to enhance your sales game!

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction

1:15 – Overview of The Lean Startup

3:05– Build-Measure-Learn Feedback Loop Explained

5:30 – Applying MVP to Technical Selling

7:50 – Challenges with The Lean Startup

9:20 – Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Follow Us: 🌐 Visit our website for more tips and resources: http://TechSales110.com

📧 Join our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTechnicalSeller

🎧 Listen to The Technical Seller Podcast: Feed

Show Notes for Podcast Episode 24: Mastering Personalized Tech Sales Welcome to another episode of The Technical Seller! In this episode, host Pierre dives deep into essential strategies for technical sales professionals, offering insights and practical steps to help you close more deals and build lasting customer relationships. Key Topics Covered: • Why Personalized Emails Matter: Learn how crafting tailored messages can significantly improve your open rates and help you connect with your prospects on a deeper level. From using dynamic tags to referencing shared experiences, Pierre breaks down the process step by step. • LinkedIn Sales Navigator Hacks: Pierre shares expert advice on maximizing the value of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Find out how to define your ideal customer profile, use advanced search filters, and build trust through personalized outreach. • The 52 Sales Hacks Series: Pierre introduces a brand-new segment focused on practical, actionable sales techniques. This episode features two critical hacks: optimizing LinkedIn Sales Navigator and personalizing email outreach for maximum impact. • The Importance of Consistency: Success in sales isn’t just about ideas—it’s about execution. Pierre discusses how to track your results, refine your approach, and stay consistent in your efforts to close more deals over time. Special Offer: Pierre is excited to announce the launch of TechSales110.com, a community for technical sales professionals. The first 200 podcast listeners can sign up for FREE access to exclusive resources, weekly office hours, and more. Visit TechSales110.com to get started. Actionable Takeaways: 1. Personalize Every Email: Include relevant details, avoid generic templates, and use CRM tags effectively. 2. Leverage LinkedIn: Identify and track ideal prospects, engage with their content, and use in-mail messages to stand out. 3. Track Progress: Measure the success of your personalized outreach and continually improve based on what works. Closing Thought: “It’s not just about tools, it’s about how you use them to make genuine connections.” Follow-up Resources: • Blog: Detailed recap and bonus content on SMART goals for personalizing your outreach strategy. • FREE Smart Goals Template: Available at TechSales110.com for podcast listeners. Tune in next week as Pierre continues to break down sales hacks to help you crush your goals!

I explore how ChatGPT, a powerful AI language model developed by OpenAI, is revolutionizing sales engineering. The episode discusses ChatGPT's applications in lead generation, qualification, product knowledge, CRM integration, and streamlining the sales process. It highlights how ChatGPT serves as a comprehensive knowledge base, helps in proposal and quote generation, and assists in efficient client communication. The podcast also covers sales coaching and training with ChatGPT, sharing best practices and techniques to improve performance. Lastly, it delves into real-world examples and success stories to showcase the benefits of using ChatGPT in sales engineering, featuring interviews with sales professionals who have successfully implemented the AI tool in their workflow. Embracing AI tools like ChatGPT is essential for sales professionals to stay ahead in the evolving world of technology.

I am starting a Series on "Talk Tracks" - A framework for Strategic Business Conversations that will position you as a thought leader at the prospect and customers. In this podcast, we discuss the importance of digital transformation for businesses, tracing its roots back to the Industrial Revolution. As companies adapt to rapidly evolving customer demands, they must leverage digital technology to stay competitive. We explore the common challenges organizations face when implementing digital transformation, emphasizing that overcoming resistance to change and fostering a culture of adaptability are essential. Additionally, the podcast addresses the importance of aligning transformation efforts with business goals and strategies through design thinking methodologies. By embracing digital transformation, companies can create seamless, secure, and agile processes that cater to the needs of their customers and employees.

This podcast discusses the importance of having a plan to close sales calls. It highlights the need to have a clear goal and plan to achieve it, especially in technical sales where multiple people are involved. Knowing the product and understanding the customer's needs is crucial to effectively communicate the value of the product and address any concerns or questions the customer may have. The podcast suggests developing a plan that aligns the product with the customer's needs and ends with a summary of the value. It also emphasizes the need for follow-up actions, such as closing for the next meeting.

I talk about customer's deeply held beliefs. And how that is the most important thing to address. It isn't about you, it is about their needs, and figuring out those needs. If you want to influence any buying behavior, you need to change a prospect's belief window. Change what someone thinks, you change what they do. Ignore the prospects needs, you are not closing anything. This is the main concept of the Reality Model by Hyrum Smith, he founded Franklin Covey, and his idea was that each of us has a Belief Window through which we observe the world around us. On our Belief Window are thousands of principles we believe to be true about ourselves, our world, and other people.

About 2,500 years ago, Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu wrote “The Art of War.” In it, he said, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Tactics and strategy are not at odds with one another—they’re on the same team. (And they have been for many centuries!) Here’s how we define the tactical vs. the strategic:

• Strategy defines your long-term goals and how you’re planning to achieve them. In other words, your strategy gives you the path you need toward achieving your organization’s mission.
• Tactics are much more concrete and are often oriented toward smaller steps and a shorter time frame along the way. They involve best practices, specific plans, resources, etc. They’re also called “initiatives.”