PowerViews with Jonathan Farrington: Stay Focused

Posted by Dan McDade

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on Apr 10, 2012 1:33:00 PM

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I’m really pleased to introduce you to PowerViews, a new series of Q&A video interviews that are all about providing solutions to the marketing and sales challenges we face today.

It’s an honor for me to have as my very first guest Jonathan Farrington who is the CEO of Top Sales Associates and the Managing Director of Jonathan Farrington & Associates. Jonathan is also the man behind the Top Sales & Marketing Awards and is globally recognized as a business coach, mentor, author, consultant, and sales strategist. He is based in London and Paris. (Unfortunately, due to connection issues in London we were unable to get Jonathan’s side on video.)

Below, you can read highlights from our discussion or use the links to start the video from different parts of the conversation.


2011 Marketing and Sales Trends Successes and Failures

Click to start video at this point—In response to my question about 2011 marketing and sales trends that did happen or ones he expected to see but did not happen, Jonathan notes that a primary projection played out as expected: markets and sales remained relatively flat last year. He added that the full impact of the economic downturn was underestimated and that it will likely be Q1 2013 when significant growth occurs. Companies that are using this time to clear out the dead wood will be sharper, leaner and meanerand much more focused on the bottom line, rather than top line growth.

Sales Trends Companies Should be Looking At

Click to start video at this point—Commenting on trends that we need to be looking at, Jonathan talks about the three levels of selling: inside sales, external sales and what he calls new wave selling (i.e., top end consultative, collaborative or strategic selling). Moving to cut costs, companies are using video conferencing to reduce the number of face-to-face sales encounters. And while there are currently fewer overall sales positions available, there is a dramatic increase in the number of inside sales hires. The inside sales rep's role has also shifted—from being an entry-level and training position to one that requires expanded skill sets to handle far more sophisticated opportunities. Asked if external reps selling commodities will disappear, Jonathan says "yes" and adds that a commodity is something that can be bought on a credit card.

The Role of Marketing Automation & Social Media

Click to start video at this point—Asked whether marketing automation and social media should be within the realm of marketing only, Jonathan affirms their value for sales. He notes tougher competition and more level playing fields require reps to embrace them—with a caveat. Sales teams need to critically assess tools, as well as social media participation, to make sure they are appropriate for supporting direct engagement with their prospects and customers.

The Fight for Marketing & Sales Alignment

Click to start video at this point—In response to a question about progress in marketing and sales alignment, he talks about the two groups' concerns and challenges and notes that their different mindsets can be obstacles to full alignment. Traditionally, marketing executives rarely have targets, and they don't get fired for not hitting quota. He also comments on the increasingly important role of marketing, adding that the sales space will become much more efficient "if we can just find a way to legitimize their marriage."

What Marketing and Sales Executives Need to Focus on for the Balance of 2012

Click to start video at this point—Given that we have ended Q1 already, I asked Jonathan what he would tell a senior marketing executive or senior sales executive to focus on for the balance of this year. He immediately emphasizes the importance of the word, "focus," and the risk of losing perspective given the plethora of tools, solutions and opportunities. He recommends marketing's focus should be on creating new opportunities for the sales team with secondary emphasis on areas like company image and website. And he talks passionately about both sales organizations—as well as individual reps—focusing on a clearly defined 2012 game plan. He adds that a game plan should span more than just the current year. "Every successful company should be working with a short, medium, and long-term sales strategy," he says, adding that a game plan is a prerequisite for benchmarking performance.

Sales Execution

Click to start video at this point—In discussing three stages of selling—finding new opportunities, converting them, and developing them after the sale—Jonathan notes that it's very rare for a company to be successful with all three. Most companies do not execute successfully in the final account development stage. He references recent figures that note it costs 15 times more to identify, attract, qualify and sell to a new opportunity than it does to sell to an existing one.

Jonathan Farrington 140

I encourage you to find out more about Jonathan and his sales initiatives by visiting the following sites:

JF BLOGIT – Jonathan Farrington’s Blog
Top Sales World

 

 

 

  

 
The next PowerViews will be with Jeff Ernst of Forrester Research. Stay Tuned.


By Dan McDade


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Topics: Lead Generation, Inside Sales, Sales Process, B2B Sales, Sales Leads, PowerViews


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