I wanted to reach out to let you know that we started with the business reviews, and we’ve seen great results with the Account Managers (and myself).
This process of doing a formal Business Review has proven to be much different approach to the typical, regularly scheduled, phone conversations, and much more effective for generating new business.
Thanks for the guidance!
Thanks again for the meeting today and your help on the notes and recap. The progress is fantastic and the modules will be discussed and “coached” ongoing with the sales team. I will repeat that the buy in for what you guys are doing is unanimous among the rest of the guys.
I would like to thank you for taking the lead on this project. You have worked tirelessly to manage the complex issues that invariably arise for a project of this scope and magnitude. Our team also deserves credit for supporting your vision.
Through his presentation “Manufacturing a Sale” at the Family Business Forum, Darren Rabie of Focus America gave owner-operators an understanding of the need for a sales process to build a solid, replicable foundation for measurable sales growth.
Darren is full of helpful and insightful sales tips. His workshops are useful, and you walk away with immediate action steps to take. His ability to transfer knowledge between various business sectors is evident, and information helped to increase the number of potential new business partnerships. Thank you Darren.
“Focus was brought on to help us achieve a much bigger new customer base and increase our sales. They have also helped us to develop a much bigger pipeline and they stay on the team to keep us growing it on a monthly basis.
My only recommendation would be to hire Focus …..they deliver 150% on everything they say they will deliver! You will not need to “Decide how to proceed” – they will guide you every step of the way.”
You have forged a new sales process at Westbrook through recruitment of personnel, establishment of prospecting, implementation of a 24-7 CRM program such as salesforce.com. The CRM has enhanced our communication and accountability. This tool alone has better organized our sales force to accomplish more in less time with less effort. The division of labour has made everyone more productive, accountable, with greater results and satisfaction. The training sessions with Steve were excellent. He is very knowledge, patient, understanding, and a phenomenal teacher in drilling down and explaining the CRM Program. He is a strong communicator, very personable, and results oriented. His follow-up is superb. The defining of quarterly objectives for the Account Managers with metrics is valuable feedback for them to realize their performance and accountability. In 103 accounts there was an additional growth of $1.2MM which is testimonial to the success of your program.
“In about 6 months, Focus took a young team, with plenty of construction knowledge, but no sales experience, and turned them into salespeople. This has affected us in a number of positive ways. First, it has increased our current work load substantially. Second, our sales potential list has grown from an undefined amount, to over $200 million in potential opportunities, to the point that we have had to become more selective in the type of leads we allow to be approved. Lastly, having the project managers as a direct part of our sales team, their focus has changed to not only their current projects, but ensuring that projects end strongly, and if there are warranty issues, they are dealt with in a timely manner. Our A/R payment turnaround time has improved, and there has been a distinct improvement in repeat sales, and work handed to us after the original contract had been fulfilled. I believe the link between Project Management and ownership of the sale is directly responsible for this improvement. This is a key idea put forth by Focus during their initial review of our firm. It is working.”
I want to thank you for the incredible job that you and Focus have done for me and Allways Precision Inc. I can truly say that with your help I have become a dynamic business development representative at API. With your guidance, I have honed my sales skills from a re-active sales style to a pro-active sales style. I have found that by changing to a pro-active sales style I am making more contacts and completing more sales. I have learned to create opportunities by making a more complete cold call and have learned to develop trust with customers through the “Approach to driving sales”. It is a demanding program that develops results!
On behalf of the Board of Directors of CAFE Vancouver, I would like to thank you for being part of the Panel of Experts at Family Business Day. Your presentation on building a sustainable sales organization was stimulating and well received by our members. We have received a number of positive comments about your presentation from the participants.