Selling To Enterprise
How to close enterprise deals like the best of them, from the best of them
Enterprise vs. SMB…gloves are off.
I’ve discussed this topic at length with other leaders and colleagues. While I absolutely agree that a complex sales process (Enterprise) is absolutely different than a transactional one (think SMB), I’m a firm believer in learned skills and developing behaviors that cross that chasm. You’re not destined for greatness (or failure) in one or the other - as long as you adhere to a new set of rules and procedures for each.
But I think its appropriate to point out and acknowledge some of those nuances that lead to success in the Enterprise.
In this week’s edition of Stretch Weekly -
Amy Volas shares her Enterprise Sales Process she used to close over $100,000,000 (3 commas!)
Brian Burns’ Brutal Truth about Selling Podcast highlights the secrets of a #1 Enterprise Sales rep at Salesforce.
Morgan Mackles gives us his 10-stage Enterprise Sales Process & Playbook
Plus - more snippets to discuss around the virtual water cooler and fine tune your team’s approach to close larger deals while keeping your shins off trailer hitches…
SMB vs. Enterprise - Gloves off
Give it a read and let me know what you think.
And lastly - as always, if you find this newsletter valuable- consider sharing it with someone who might as well 👊.
STRETCH SHARES
The Enterprise Sales Process I’ve Used to Close $100,000,000+
Awesome article I found (and saved for this topic specifically) from Amy Volas. With more than $100MM in revenue sold and named one of Sales Hacker's Most Dynamic Women In Sales, Amy Volas is a sales fanatic turned entrepreneur. She was bitten by the startup bug many moons ago and couldn't imagine spending her time anywhere else. She created Avenue Talent Partners to help with the tremendous task of growing startups through some of their most valuable assets—sales leaders and experienced, enterprise salespeople.
Highlights:
Start with the right mindset.
Know your buyers and their needs better than they do.
Consult, don’t sell.
When the ink is dry, your work is just beginning.
The #1 Secret of a Top Enterprise Sales Rep
Stumbled on this intriguing episode several months ago from The Brutal Truth about Sales & Selling where Brian Burns talks with Nick Katsafanas - a top Enterprise Sales rep at Salesforce.com on how he manages and grows his business across two LARGE accounts. Two accounts. That’s it.
Hear how he manages his day, getting to power, internal selling vs. external selling, building relationships and much more as it relates to what it takes to be a successful Enterprise seller.
The Enterprise Sales Process Playbook
Insightful guide from Morgan Mackles on a 10 -stage sales process playbook for the Enterprise.
This version of the “Sales Process Playbook” template provides a solid starting-point by detailing ten specific, tactical stages of an Enterprise sales process, guiding you from raw lead to POC to closed/won. Each of these ten steps dives deep into the desired outcome to keep you focused on the goal of each stage, a detailed checklist of each member of the sales team and their unique deliverables at each stage, as well as examples of the tools your reps will need to move forward from stage to stage.
I know many orgs have different variations of something similar - something to go past stages 1-5 that SMBs typically cover. But check this out and if you’re selling more complex deals - see what stages make sense to add.
Read full post HERE ( See embedded slide deck)
STRETCH SNIPPETS
✅ 47 Top Sales Experts Share their Best Enterprise Selling Tips from Peter Banerjea
🤔Matt Wichrowski with Fly Ventures gives some great thoughts about Enterprise Sales in a recession.
😉Selling to Enterprise (Just Like Selling to SMB… Right?) with Samantha McKenna via Sales Hacker
🙅♂️Why SMB and Enterprise Sales Have Nothing in Common from Jason Lemkin at SaaStr.
🔑 Doug Landis shares keys to Enterprise closing: 80% of all B2B decisions are made by a VP or Higher level title!
🔏Donna Donato says you can’t close an Enterprise deal overnight via Sales Hacker.
🔖Lucid Chart maps out the difference between complex (enterprise) sales vs. transactional (smb) sales.
🧠 Mindset Matters
5 Min Mindset Reboot: “Its Never Too Late To Be What You Ought To Have Been”
Thanks for reading!
My hope is if you find this valuable, consider sharing it with friends (or signing up if you haven’t already).
— Grant 👋
About stretch vp: confessions, learnings and insights from sales leaders in SaaS
Compiled and aggregated from a network of sales leaders in SaaS, Stretch VP showcases learnings, insights and experiences as well as best practices to overcome common hurdles, obstacles and setbacks in your quest for excellence as a sales leader in SaaS.
Are you a VP, Director, thought leader or content producer in the SaaS space? We’d love to have you contribute. Contact Me HERE.
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