Stop Selling Words, Start Selling Your Clients Results

Stop Selling Words, Start Selling Your Clients Results:from B2B Marketing and Lead Generation | Optify by Shanelle Smith
Innovate Your Sales Process
In 2012- I personally spoke with more than 300+ marketing agencies. The biggest takeaway I observed was how un-innovative the sales process is for the majority of marketing agencies pitching to prospective clients. Agencies typically write a proposal and present a pitch. They sell words, case studies, referrals- but no actual results. Agencies tend to base their retainer or project bid off the budget clients currently have- rather than focusing on the revenue goals and growth they want to achieve. As an Optify Agency Channel manager, my primary objective is to sell Optify software to agencies. From experience, nothing sells our software like results an agency can glean during the software trial process.

Marketing Budget Template + ROI Calculator
Have you ever asked a client how they created their marketing budget and how it aligns with their revenue goals? Many times clients misunderstand the feasible results they can expect with their budget. Walking them through a revenue assessment can help them understand what it will take to achieve their goal. Optify agency partner, Revenue Architects, created a Revenue Grader to assist clients in rating their business on key revenue drivers.
Optify’s ROI Calculator can also help you demonstrate the value of your agency’s services to clients and create case studies.
Give Prospective Clients a Test Drive
What is a Test Drive? A trial period (14 days-30 days) where your agency gives them a taste of what results they will see from a marketing retainer with your business. You can add them to your Optify Free Trial (up to 5 clients at a time) and report on their SEO, Social Media, PPC and Lead Conversion.
How do you deliver a Test Drive without losing your shirt (money/time)? Start with a discovery session where you understand their revenue goals and organizational readiness for digital marketing. If you feel they are not ready for your services, go with your gut feeling. If you feel you have an opportunity- why not pitch a trial period?
Takeaways from Test Drive Discovery Meeting:

1. Business goals and needs
2. Understanding/ intuition of whether this business would be the right type of client for your agency.
3. Knowledge of whom within the organization would make the decision and what that person’s priorities are (most likely more sales leads).
4. Agreement on delivering them a Pitch/Proposal that will involve a trial process.

What you need to do a Test Drive
After an initial discovery meeting, you will want to come back to the prospective client as soon as possible with a Proposal and Pitch + Present your test drive campaign plan. You will want to clarify the call to action and execution process. Make sure they understand the effort by including what resources are involved and the hours (graphic design, writing, research).
Very Important Key takeaways:

1. Admin Access to their CMS system (WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc.)
2. Segmented list of leads to nurture (contacts from their house list)
3. Buy-in to the practice marketing campaign