The PitchLink Sales & Marketing Lit Fest

In his session, Brad Jeavons explains how Agile Sales applies Agile principles in developing a sales methodology that can help sales teams develop a culture of innovation focused on their customers. Using agile techniques taken from successful agile deployments, it takes salespeople through the customer’s buying journey using a step-by-step process. Agile Sales bring a new dimension to the sales function through the practice of continuous improvement. Technology and competition are disrupting the sales process so new ways of defining customer experience and engaging with the buyer are crucial if sellers wish to provide differentiated experiences. The Agile Sales method shows how to empower teams to engage with the buyer and provide amazing experiences that result in greater value for the customers and themselves.

Doing real discovery is an opportunity to establish sustainable competitive advantages and enable your customers to enjoy the full lifetime value from your offerings. Peter Cohan believes that most so-called discovery sessions are wasted opportunities. Salespeople spend most of their time eulogizing their product or service and spend only a fraction of the time on actual discovery. One reason for this is that most people do not understand what discovery is, or what its purpose is. Discovery is defined by Peter as “the process of collecting information to enable a precise proposal of a solution to a prospect’s problem.” This session delves into a framework through which salespeople can ask the right kind of questions that help to identify problems that the prospect needs to solve. It is the sum of all the information a vendor can learn about a prospect. Moreover, prospects, themselves do not recognize their needs and challenges and often have a limited understanding of possible solutions. Better discovery helps the salesperson uncover pains and challenges for the customer.

“The customer is always right”, we are told repeatedly. But organizations are discovering that not only are customers often wrong, but they will also often take undue advantage of the seller organization, resulting in the buyer becoming the dominant partner in a business relationship, leading to lowered profits, excessive cost-cutting, and increased pressure to perform. In his session, author Ramesh Dorairaj shows how to assess the quality of business deals and get out of unhealthy relationships.

Diane Helbig dispels common myths about selling and closing sales. Being eloquent or ‘convincing’ does not result in success. On the other hand, being consistently curious creates a win-win. Not everyone we meet is a potential customer. Not every conversation or engagement has to end with a sale closing. The effort on the part of the salesperson should, instead, be in providing help and information, that genuinely engages the other person and benefits them in a positive way. Professionals must embrace the value of being more interested in others than in making a sale. Succeed Without Selling offers actionable, easy-to-follow methods for prospecting, discovery, referrals, and strategic alliances. This and more in her session.

In this session, author Bill Price outlines the concept of Frictionless Organizations those that reduces the need for customers to make direct contact with the organization to solve issues and problems through building products and services so effective that customers hardly ever feel the need to call support. Products and services always work smoothly, usage instructions are clear and succinct, service is easy to avail, and deliveries are made on time. Innovative business models with low or no friction help companies disrupt traditional business-as-usual organizations.

This session discusses how to apply strategies and map a customized path to rapid, unstoppable, and sustainable growth. It draws on an analogy with how weeds grow rapidly, highlighting weed-based attributes which help them to spread, and prosper in almost any situation. It offers a way to transform the entire team into a collective of weeds operating on behalf of the organization, acting as an incubator for innovation and productivity, while enriching their own opportunities for growth and security. In effect, it is a playbook for growing your business to increase market share and customer base, defend their turf and become resilient, no matter what the circumstances may be.

Critical Skills for Sellers in a VUCA/BANI World.

The world of selling has changed. Buyers have changed. Sales competencies have changed. Have you? Join this fast-paced session to learn:

+ The 4 new megatrends in selling

+ The 5 key competencies for sales differentiation and effectiveness

+ Change drivers that sellers can’t ignore

+ The master skill that will help you be the one seller that buyers actually WANT to talk to.

In his session, author Mike Kunkle explains what Sales Enablement is, and outlines the principles of sales enablement, explaining how the parts fit together. The session looks at influencers of sales performance from systems thinking perspective and aids in driving sales success through a framework that includes tools, processes, and programs that leverage maximum impact. The framework is buyer-centric, mature, holistic, and cross-functional, diving into aspects of operations, customer success, IT, and Learning and Development.

In his session based on his book “The Dream Founder” author Dhruv Nath outlines what founders of startups need – to make the right choices and create the right environment for building a successful business. Ideal founders, the overarching vision, business models that enable that vision, getting the right team, and execution to translate vision into action.

The Magic of One Thing in Sales How to achieve more in Sales by doing less.

In this session, decode the simple and transformative ‘One thing mindset’ and apply it to every aspect of the sales cycle ( e.g. Client Demos and pitches, Deal Closure, Sales planning, etc).