Counter Competition – Zignalytics

Posted on December 3, 2020December 4, 2020 by Kannan_Kasi — Leave a comment

My favourite apps are getting acquired!

The latest in this list is Bigbasket. They got bought over by Tata.

Last month, Urban Ladder was bought over by Reliance.

Slack was bought by Salesforce for $ 27.7 Bn.

Slideshare was bought long time ago by LinkedIn.

And, LinkedIn was then bought over by Microsoft.

“Taxi For Sure” was acquired long ago by OLA.

Maybe, I have an eye / taste for good products & services.

I am in the wrong trade, I guess.

Maybe, I should become an Investor / #Mergers & #Acquisitions Consultant.

A senior friend was working with an Indian CRM product company.

He quit that company & joined Siebel.

Then, Oracle bought Siebel.

He quit Siebel & joined Agile Software.

Oracle then bought Agile Software. What? Yes, they did!

I think Oracle was following him wherever he went. 🙂

He should have become the Head of Acquisitions at Oracle.

Because, he had an eye for excellence. And he was riding the wave.

What #apps are you using?

Your favourite apps like Instagram, Whatsapp were acquired by Facebook long ago.

There is talk of #SuperApp doing the rounds.

Choose your apps wisely.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Unless, your name is Tata.

#b2c #story #brands #marketshare

Posted on July 18, 2020July 18, 2020 by Kannan_Kasi — Leave a comment

Track your competition!

Those were the days I was hungry for leads.

I used to trouble my tech support guys for leads.

Not a good lead source, you say. Hang on.

One such day, my tech support guy said “go to xyz [name of a place]” unable to bear my pestering.

Not knowing where to go, I knocked on all doors & accidentally found a training institute & met few people. Left my cards with every other department where I couldn’t meet anyone.

Two days later, the unimaginable happened.

I got a call.

Rest is history.

That turned out to be a very big order for many software for multi location.

My colleague had been in touch with his ex-colleague & friend. He casually heard him say that he had been to that place but didn’t tell him the client name.

I found it out.

Later, I asked my colleague how did he get that lead. That’s when he told me about his conversation with his ex-colleague.

This story helps me work with optimism till date.

Takeaways:

Follow your competitors, if you cannot be there before they do.
Be optimistic.
Ask your colleagues, if you are stuck somewhere.
Be at the right place at the right time. If you cannot be early, that is.
Highlight your strengths.
Allow the buyer to contact you & help them make it their decision to choose you. This is very important.

#HappySelling

#b2b #changethegame #sales #marketing #leads #business #leadgeneration #competition

Posted on March 31, 2018March 31, 2018 by Kannan_Kasi — Leave a comment

This is what I did to win the customer’s trust

Many years ago, in my first job, when I met a prospect in Chennai, India, in a Quasi Government Agriculture related Organization, I had no idea of the term “aligning with the prospect” etc but I did just that without actually knowing what it is. I first met the prospect at a time when they had just finalized and released an order. I was little late on the scene. They had already decided and had issued a work order to a software company to develop an ERP system with Oracle RDBMS at the back end. My interest was in selling Oracle RDBMS license to them. But then it was going to be bundled with their ERP system and hence I had already lost it. It was a wrong lead from the market sources. But I didn’t give up. I had various other products to sell but wasn’t sure what the prospect wants. I promised to keep in touch with him on a regular basis and share information and updates from the IT industry. He welcomed the idea but cautioned me that he may not need any product. I said, “It is fine. It is my pleasure to share updates.” Those days there was no twitter, no linkedin and no facebook. But I kept posting updates to them on a regular basis, in an old fashioned way, you are right, face to face. And that worked.

I kept meeting this prospect on a regular basis and shared updates and information. I had a wealth of information and knowledge and he liked whatever I shared. He appreciated. I slowly but steadily became his trusted consultant. By now, he introduced me to two of his colleagues. And I was very useful to them as well.

Miracles do happen in Sales. I was travelling on a business trip. Those days I didn’t have a mobile phone and I used to call office from the hotel once during the day to check if there was anything urgent or important that needs my attention. Likewise, one day, I did call. To my surprise, I had a message from this client and he wanted to buy some software licenses. I returned his call from the hotel. He asked me to take care and get in touch with him when I get back to office. I did. I got that order.

Subsequently, he invited me over for another purchase decision. He remembered about another solution I had suggested long time ago. We met and discussed at length. A Proposal evolved. Negotiations happened. But the deal happened. It was a product license, consulting and implementation services order involving multi location. It was a deal of one of a kind. It was much talked about. Post sale, I helped him deal with the Internet Service Provider and solved a technical snag at the ISP’s end. He was extremely pleased. The solution went live, saved money for the client. It was a phenomenal success for them as well as for us.

If you have a value system, if you are full of positive energy at all times, if you are trustworthy, if you are knowledgeable, if you are confident, if you can help solve problems, Customers are going to love you. For sure.

And buying is an emotional decision most of the time and if you can make the customers feel that buying from you is a safe and wise decision, you are set to win.

Happy Selling!!

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Kannan_Kasi — Leave a comment

How to differentiate yourself from your competition ?

Businesses of all sizes have competition. The sales people have to face stiff competition day in and day out. They have to counter the competition to win deals and acquire clients. What are the various things that a Sales person can do or should do during the Sales Process to differentiate themselves from the competition ? How can the sales people stand out from their competition and win deals ?

Provide Value to your prospects.
Don’t sell on Price.
Build good rapport with your prospects. Develop friendship with them. They are not machines to print your purchase orders.
Understand your prospects.
Don’t take advantage in any situation.
Understand their pain points.
Look at their situation from their perspective.
Think that there exists a solution for their problems and then go find it.
If you can help them resolve their problems, deal is yours.
Carry yourself well through out the sales process.
Be Professional.
Small things matter a lot. So pay attention to small things.
Pay attention to detail.
Be a team player.
Be interesting.
Sound positive always.
Have a grasp of current affairs.
Be an expert and a thought leader in your Industry.
Get your prospects to get connected with you, your products and your services.
Be Passionate about Sales.

If you think you can, you will. Leaving you with a Poem by Walter D. Wintle.

Poem “The Man Who Thinks He Can”
by Walter D. Wintle

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win, but think you can’t
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost,
For out in the world we find
Success being with a fellow’s will;
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are:
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.

Happy Selling !!