Is Your Sales Process Backwards? w/ Derek Wyszynski [Episode 622]

Derek Wyszynski, Mentor at GrowthX Academy, Founding Member of Sales Enablement Society, and until recently, Chief Sales Hacker at ZynBit, joins me on this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Derek says the single biggest challenge facing sales reps today is selling to the informed customer. When Derek started in sales, the salesperson was the primary engine of information between the customer and the solution.
• Today’s customer knows your competitors’ and your solutions. When they talk to you, they don’t want persuasion, they want proof. The internet has been in play for 20 years. Why are we just noticing this issue?
• Sales enablement is irrelevant to the end user. Sales enablement serves the salesperson only. The technology is not customer-facing.
• Derek asks why prospecting (the most important part of the sales process) is given to the least experienced and least knowledgeable representative (the SDR). The outreach reps should be the most experienced.
• The ZynBit sale starts with content to create demand. When people connect to the content, a sales conversation begins. When the prospect shows serious interest, they are transferred to customer experience (CX) ‘concierges.’
• The ‘concierge’ walks the customer through the proof process — whether a demo or a trial — and makes it very easy to buy. ZynBit is a SaaS solution charged per user.
• ZynBit customers work with the team for the ‘knobs and dials’ of the proof process. When the process is tuned for large enterprise customers, the close rates rise, contracts are written for longer terms, and clients give referrals.
• Derek says cold outreach is dead to reps. Getting the right person on the phone and reading the email is where the sales process begins. The ZynBit platform is Salesforce. ZynBit contacts people already in Salesforce user groups.
• Derek recommends using the same model for other products, as well. Go into industry user groups and meetings to provide expert advice and content.
• How should compensation plans change? ZynBit employees are paid an aggressive base salary and a quarterly bonus on the entire organization’s revenue. Everyone has skin in the game for overall success.
• The point of qualification is to qualify people ‘out’ and keep them in some nurturing marketing situation until they are ready. Spend more time with qualified leads.
• ZynBit has the right people. The metrics to evaluate salespeople at ZynBit: SQL to a sale is the most important number here. CX team (closers) are judged on conversion from SQL, upsells, and referrals.