3. “Startups face a huge burden in today’s
economy, often having to choose
between funneling resources toward
creating their goods and services or
managing the often complex
accounting, tax and financial strategy
planning necessary to run a successful
business.”
~ David Ehrenberg,
Founder and CEO
Early Growth Financial Services
4. Threads
1. Today: The 5 Must Dos
2. Tomorrow: Managing early
growth through the Core 6
Principles
4
5. 5
DO THESE THINGS RIGHT, YOU’LL SUCCEED.
1. Create a compelling general
presentation (GP)
2. Prioritize and assign accounts
3. Understand obstacles / handling
techniques
4. Develop sales process and
pipeline management tools
5. Agree on pricing and rules
From 0 to 60 in 5 easy steps
TODAY
6. 6
DOWN THE LINE…4 MORE
1. Create a compelling general
presentation (GP)
2. Prioritize and assign accounts
3. Understand obstacles / handling
techniques
4. Develop sales process and
pipeline management tools
5. Agree on pricing and rules
From 0 to 60…steps 6-9
6. Fully understand competitive
set
7. Create defendable unique value
proposition
8. Establish recruitment process
9. Create sales support tools
/systems
TODAY
7. 7
THE FULL ENCHILADA
1. Create compelling general
presentation (GP)
2. Prioritize and assign accounts
3. Understand obstacles / handling
techniques
4. Develop sales process and
pipeline management tools
5. Agree on pricing and rules
From 0 to 60…Cookin’ With Gas
6. Fully understand competitive
set
7. Create defendable unique value
proposition
8. Establish recruitment process
9. Create sales support tools
/systems
10. Install strategic account
review system
12. Activate performance
review process for each rep
13. Create sales culture ethos
and tie to performance reviews
14. Develop skill
development curriculum and
routine15. Assess executive team
collaboration with sales
leadership and team
11. Develop sales comp plan
that reinforces desired
behaviors
TODAY
8. 8
• Powerpoint or keynote. Include short vids if
possible;
• Somewhat aesthetic and pleasing to the eye;
• To the point, professional (5 mins. max);
• Platform demo (5 mins. max);
• Design strategy for GP presentation over the phone
vs. in person;
• PRACTICE to ensure everyone meeting with
prospects is ready, able and professional.
1. Create a strong general presentation
TODAY
9. 9
• Divide and conquer: take time to develop “the list”;
• Start small and expand when ready; e.g. the
“Fortune 500” is not a reasonable starting point;
• Align strengths and knowledge: does your CFO
know someone? Your Head of Engineering?
• Tabulate good records per each account, beginning
to develop a CRM system. (Google docs works fine
to start).
2. Prioritize and assign accounts
TODAY
10. 10
• Start a list of what the prospects say to begin
understanding obstacles;
• Define and separate “obstacles” from “questions”.
(Prospects ask a lot of questions, not all of them are
obstacles.) Understand technique to handle each.
• Share obstacles with all on exec and product teams
and lead discussion regarding proposed solutions;
• Learn how to “qualify an obstacle” and apply to
sales interactions; “how important is that feature to
your decision on contracting with us?”
• Rinse/repeat: learn obstacles, qualify obstacles,
present to key internal constituents, discuss
solutions, etc.
3. Understand obstacles
TODAY
11. 11
• Establish and follow sales process: contact, desire, phone
meeting, personal meeting, additional meetings (with other co.
‘sellers’), how to follow-up, qualifying obstacles, closing,
negotiating.
• Help the org understand the process and share best practices
• Create baseline marketing collateral to help ‘tell the story’
• Qualify customers and begin establishment of CRM (excel to
start?)
• Review excel each week and determine “nexts” per each
account
4. Develop process & revenue mgmt tools
TODAY
12. 12
• Research market to understand pricing ‘laws of gravity’ for
your service and market;
• Identify power buyers…influencers who will tell you the
truth and help you;
• Establish advisory committee?
• Decide pricing strategy: go low, upsell? “What do you
think it’s worth?” etc. Also, who gets to decide pricing?
(Committee, CEO only?)
• Engage Finance to constantly assess market and internal
pressures;
• Resist temptation to charge what your Board thinks you
should charge.
5. Determine pricing strategy and rules
TODAY
13. 13
DO THESE THINGS RIGHT, YOU’LL SUCCEED.
1. Create a compelling general
presentation (GP)
2. Prioritize and assign accounts
3. Understand obstacles / handling
techniques
4. Develop sales process and
pipeline management tools
5. Agree on pricing and rules
From 0 to 60 in 5 easy steps
TODAY
14. The Core 6 Management Principles
RECRUITING/
TRAINING
14
MANAGEMENT &
LEADERSHIP
OFFERING
STRATEGY
EXECUTIVE
COLLABORATION
OPERATIONS &
EXECUTION
CULTUR
E
SOON!
15. The Core 6 Explained
R E C R U I T I N G / T R A I N I
N G
1. build a scalable recruiting
process
2. create an on-boarding program
for quick rep integration
3. develop an ongoing training
program
15
M A N A G E M E N T &
L E A D E R S H I P
1. inspire and motivate
2. align people and resources
3. design the company and
product vision - operate as a key
company cheerleader
O F F E R I N G S T R AT E G Y
1. craft a commercially appealing
value proposition (and create
compelling sales materials)
2. synthesize market data and
convert into product/service features
3. observe competition and position
your offering distinctively
E X E C U T I V E
C O L L A B O R AT I O N
1. create engagement and cross-
function for all key leaders
2. implement cooperation and support
for sales functions across departments
3. develop communication and sharing
platforms/protocol
O P E R AT I O N S &
E X E C U T I O N
1. build scalable process and protocol
inside sales department and amongst
support teams
2. create accountability and
measurement tools to manage
execution
3. maximize communication to ensure
wide adoption of systems
C U LT U R E
1. develop a cultural ethos which drives
and motivates all in sales / company
2. strongly communicate cultural values
and create programs which reinforce
principles
3. tie cultural values to performance
review process
SOON!
16. The Evolution of Sales Leadership
STAGES
1. CEO acting as HoS
2. First dedicated head: Nat’l Sales Mgr.
3. First draft pick: National Sales Director
4. Nirvana: VP of Sales (VPS)
5. You’re killing it: CRO (Chief Revenue
Officer)
16
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILL
S
1. Big cheese, aka #1, etc.
2. Good, strong, traits
3. Manager + refined skills
4. Director + experience
5. VPS + gravitas
SOON!
17. Core 6 and Leadership
1. Culture
activation
17
2. Executive
collaboration
3. Management
& leadership
4. Offering
strategy
5. Operations
& execution
6. Recruiting
& training
CE
O
NSM/
D
SV
P
SOON!
18. Core 6 and Leadership
1. Culture
activation
18
2. Executive
collaboration
3. Management
& leadership
4. Offering
strategy
5. Operations
& execution
6. Recruiting
& training
CE
O
NSM/
D
SV
P
SOON!
19. 19
EVOLVED SALES PROCESS
1. Mastery of the Sales Call (MSC)
2. Performance Achievement Method – 12 (PAM-12)
3. Strategic Account Management System (SAMS)
MSC
PAM-12SAMS
CORE 6 FOCUS
+
Realities of Scaling
SOON!
20. 20
Realities of Scaling
MSC PAM-12 SAMS
Comprehensive
guide to running a
face-to-face sales
meeting with a
prospect including:
Performance review
process to assist in
the ongoing skill
monitoring and
development of
SEs:
Account review
process to ensure
proper working of
each top account in
the company:
1. Preparation best
practices;
2. Agenda setting;
3. Presenting skills;
4. Qualifying skills;
5. Obstacle
handling;
6. Closing/negotiati
ng;
7. Servicing/upsellin
g.
1. Time-based skill
measurement
process between
SM and SE;
2. Formal quarterly
reviews;
3. Correlated to
compensation;
4. Can be
benchmarked
against entire
team.
1. Time-based skill
measurement
process between
SM and SE;
2. Formal quarterly
reviews;
3. Creates priorities
and team
collaboration
(incl. Exec.
Team)
SOON!
21. 21
DO THESE THINGS TO
SUCCEED.
1. Create a compelling general
presentation (GP)
2. Prioritize and assign accounts
3. Understand obstacles / handling
techniques
4. Develop sales process and
pipeline management tools
5. Agree on pricing and rules
Today + Soon!
SUCCESS COMES FAST.
1. Head of Sales role is
key…invest in resources to hire
right2. Understand the Core 6
principles and how it applies to
your business
3. Create, perfect your
approach and systems:
selling approach (MSC),
performance management
(PAM-12), strategic account
management (SAMS).
SOON!
22. 22
1. Building and scaling takes time and is incremental
2. Stay involved, yet learn to delegate and let go
3. Friends like Early Growth Financial Services and Core 6 Management
Advisors know how to help
In conclusion
SOON!
23. 23
Q&A and Contact Information
MICHAEL HESS, PRINCIPAL
michael@core6advisors.com
www.core6advisors.com
917.207.5183
@Core6Advisors
GADIEL MORANTES
contact@earlygrowthfinancialservices.com
www.earlygrowthfinancialservices.com
415.234.3437
@EarlyGrowthFS
Notes de l'éditeur
We offer outsourced financial services to small to mid-sized companies
Accounting, CFO, tax, valuation
350+ successful, venture-backed clients nationwide across all industries
Ancillary value – connect you to our network of investors, give fundraising advice, etc.
