2017 was an objectively low year for the history textbooks. However, we here at VA Partners are maintaining our optimistic outlook and are looking forward to what’s to come in 2018, especially in sales and marketing (since we are a team of die-hard salespeople and marketers).
As the year comes to a close, we’ve been taking a look back to see what we’ve learned and how we can take these lessons into 2018. With that, we’ve pulled together our favourite sales and marketing blogs from the year to help you achieve your professional resolutions.
You might be looking for a skills refresher, or maybe you need to kill some time during your last few hours of work before the holidays. Either way, take the time to sit back and enjoy: you deserve it. First up, we have our top sales blogs. Check back next week for our marketing content.
If you have any questions or want to let us know what you think, leave a comment or tweet us @VAPartners.
How the Business Model Canvas Can Guide Your B2B Sales
As a young, aspiring entrepreneur, our sales rep Randy had a sit-down meeting with an advisor to review his business idea. She pulled out a large sheet of paper with nine boxes on it: the business canvas model. She then proceeded to poke holes in his plans for world corporate domination. This blog reviews the method she took and how the business model canvas can be utilized for your startup too.
Why Businesses Fail When Expanding to Asia
The UN estimates that over 60% of the world’s population lives in Asia-Pacific. In turn, this has attracted many businesses and entrepreneurs into the largely untapped consumer base. Entering this space is a gamble for any business, and this blog outlines the top reasons why businesses fail when expanding into Asia.
B2B Sales Strategy Fundamentals
Growing your business can be challenging. However, having a great B2B sales strategy allows your organization to help drive traction to get funding, or even generate revenue to fund your business yourself. This blog provides the tips you need to create a great B2B sales strategy.
The Experts: Anticipated B2B Sales Trends of 2017
Trends. They’re everywhere. And sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a trend and a fad. At the beginning of 2017, we reached out to various sales experts to find out what they thought the road ahead was going to be. Were they correct? Read on to find out.
Selling and the Sales Process in B2B: A Long Distance Run vs. Sprint
For anyone who has done B2B sales for any length of time, I bet the one thing they will tell you is that sales don’t materialize overnight. From working with a number of different startups, we’ve noticed that one of the most common challenges is their lack of appreciation for how long the sales process can be. This blog outlines the expectations a startup should have, and a few tips for them to begin the sales journey.
6 Steps to Increase Cold Email Response Rates
There’s no doubt that lead generation through cold emails can be quite challenging. Email open rates have sharply declined over the years, and sales professionals believe that cold emails are ineffective and counter productive. However, our experience has proven that cold emails can be worthwhile if planned properly and executed with a solid strategy. Here is a guide to help enhance your email prospecting and improve your cold email response rates.
B2B Sales Demo Tips
One of the steps in the buyer’s journey for most software companies is the B2B sales demo. Many startups are used to giving demos, but not always in an effective way. Startups are often so focused on the product that they miss the important things the customer cares about. Our co-founder Mark has been involved in hundreds of software demos in his career, and has some tips that can help your B2B sales demo be a success.
B2B Sales Tools to Engage Your Prospects
It takes time to find, establish, and nurture business to business relationships as you move opportunities through the sales funnel. We’ve gathered a number of B2B sales tools that are helpful in moving the sales process along more quickly.
The Five Things Every B2B Cold Email Needs to Have
It’s tough to make connections and reach out through cold emails. How do you let your voice stand out through all the other inbox noise? Here are some ways to warm up your cold emails, helping you take that first step in the sales process.
The Importance of Networking in B2B Sales
One of the most challenging things for any professional, including salespeople, is networking and keeping that network warm. Like anything else, building and maintaining your network takes time, effort, and continuous investment. Luckily for you, everyone else is also struggling to maintain their connections: therefore there’s no need to be afraid to reach out! We’ve outlined a few other tips for networking in B2B sales to keep your leads warm.
Cheers to 2017! Follow us on Twitter to be notified when we’ve posted fresh content!
