I came across Lee Salz‘s site earlier this week and really enjoyed his discussion on completing RFP’s. RFP’s seem to be causing quite a bit of discussions because I’ve spoken to several Inquisix members this week about RFP’s from the “I’m the new vendor” point of view to the “I’m the trusted incumbent, why are they doing this?” point of view.

You can see all of Lee’s articles on his Sales Architecture website.

RFPs can leave you feeling powerless. Before you decide to respond to your next RFP, read this article. You can regain the power!

Superman, as strong he is, is paralyzed by kryptonite. It brings him to his knees despite his superhuman strength. Sales people have their own kryptonite called RFPs, the dreaded Request for Proposal. An RFP process doesn’t have to be kryptonite. Superman has no choice but to fight this nemesis to survive. Unlike Superman, sales people have choices.

For one, there is no law that says you have to respond to every RFP that crosses your desk. You have the right to say, “No.” Some of you are now thinking that I’m insane, but it’s true. Let me turn the tables on you for a moment. The definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If you aren’t the low price provider and you have no relationship with the prospect, how can you possibly win the business? You can’t and won’t. Therefore, sending in countless RFP responses under these conditions will yield nothing but losses. So, who’s crazy now?

Sure, when the pipeline isn’t as full as it should be, it is a natural reflex to want to pursue every RFP you can get your hands on. Yet, filling out an RFP is work. It also has a cost to both you and your company. While you are working on an RFP which you have little chance of winning, you aren’t prospecting for business that has a much higher chance of award. Look, we all get the same number of hours in our day. What you elect to do with yours determines whether or not you are successful in sales.

A couple of things you should know about RFPs. First is that there is a disconnect between Procurement and their customers (called users). Often times, Procurement authors the RFP and establishes the measurement criteria for evaluating the submissions. However, when you speak to the actual user, they say that the criteria developed by Procurement is inconsistent with their needs. Thus, a supplier is selected for a user based on flawed criteria.

Another thing you should know is that an RFP is not necessarily a commitment to make a change in provider. Some companies require that they source the business every x amount of time. Ever wonder how that RFP got in your inbox? Procurement will surf the web and pick a handful of providers to whom they will send the RFP and off it goes. It helps to know that Procurement folks are measured on their ability to reduce cost to the company. Just like a sales person’s scorecard is based on achievement of their sales quota, Procurement’s quota is based on cost reduction. The RFP that arrived in your inbox could very well be their attempt to put the squeeze on the current provider so they can show a 10% savings. Don’t kid yourself. This happens a lot!

One final thing you should know about RFPs is that they are sometimes used as a manager tactic. For example, some people are too nice to tell you “no,” so they hide behind the statement that their company only buys through the RFP process. Don’t buy that for a second. No company exclusively buys this way. Even the Federal Government, who is the most formal buyer, does not limit their purchasing to this means. Sales people, present company included, sell products and services to the Feds without an RFP being issued. It can be done!

There is also a safety net for managers when they buy through RFPs as multiple people are involved in the selection process. If the supplier fails to perform, the finger can’t just be pointed at one person. During your needs analysis discussions, you can often get a feel for who really wants the RFP, the company or the person with whom you are meeting. Don’t underestimate the fear of blame. Many managers try to stay off the radar screen so they don’t want to create risk for themselves.

Dealing with an RFP where you have a relationship with the prospect is the subject of a future article. Keeping us focused on the blind ones, as I said before, you have choices. You could just respond to every RFP. Or, you could just chuck it in the trash. Care for a third option? What if you called the Procurement person and had a conversation that sounded like this,

“Hi, I’m Lee Salz with XYZ Services. I just received your RFP in the mail and wanted to ask you a few questions so I can determine if it makes sense for us to respond. As you can imagine, we receive many RFPs and are very selective when determining to which we will respond.”

With that said, one of a few things can happen. She could give you permission to ask your questions. Or she could say, “Fill out the RFP, or not. It’s up to you.” My vote is to decline any RFP where the Procurement person won’t allow you to ask questions of them. How can you have a fighting chance to win if they won’t speak with you?

With permission granted to ask questions, what is it you need to know to decide if it makes sense to participate in this process?

• How did they get your name for inclusion in this process?
• Why is this RFP out now?
• Have they definitively decided to change providers?
• What criteria will be used to score the RFPs?
• What are the steps of the process after the RFP is submitted?

Sure, there are a ton of other questions you could ask, but this information will best help you to determine if you have a chance at winning this account. The rule of thumb is that the less information Procurement shares, the lower your chances of winning the account.

Yes, walking away from the mega-deal is hard and painful. But is this deal real or simply a mirage? Watch any Superman movie and you will see that he overcomes his kryptonite peril. Will you overcome yours? By the way, if you are a finalist resulting from an RFP submission, send me an email and ask for my Finalist Preparation tip sheet.

About the author: Lee B. Salz is a sales management strategist who specializes in helping companies build scalable, high-performance sales organizations through hiring the right sales people, on-boarding them effectively and efficiently, and aligning their sales activity with business objectives using his sales architecture® methodology. He is the President of Sales Architects, the C.E.O. of Business Expert Webinars and author of “Soar Despite Your Dodo Sales Manager.” Lee is a columnist and member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Look for Lee’s new book in 2010 titled, “The Sales Marriage” where he shares the secrets to identifying, hiring, and on-boarding the right sales people. He is a results-driven sales management consultant and a passionate, dynamic speaker. Lee can be reached at lsalz@SalesArchitects.net or 763.416.4321.

Picture from Dreamspeak site.

We’ve blogged about business networking in every shape and form: reviews, strategies, techniques, insights but never, ever fashion. Guest blogger Emmi Sorokin, a national men’s stylist, says it’s just as important.

As we all know when it comes to business networking first impressions are key and often determine the quality of connections you make. You get only one shot to come across as confident and competent from the start and your goal is to make people want to get to know you better after the initial meeting. Personality and interpersonal communication skills can take you very far, but it all starts with you looking like a quality connection yourself.

A Poorly Dressed Networker in Action

Clothing greatly impacts a key component of networking effectively, confidence. And if you’re not taking advantage of that, you’re missing out. The good news is that dressing well really doesn’t require that much more effort than looking just OK, once you’ve learned some basics. So what does that actually mean for the individual as he sets forth into the fray of a networking event? Start by making sure that you aren’t making any of these common mistakes. If you are, I given you the fix for each as well so on you can improve your chances of making an excellent first impression.

Poorly Fitting or Dated Clothes-

Men tend to select clothing that is too large for their frame, inadvertently making themselves look frumpy rather than masculine. They also hang onto to items in their closet way past the expiration date (think pleated dress slacks). Even worse than that, your peers don’t have to be fashion-savvy to spot your aged threads. Over the past decade, a shift in style has emphasized a slim silhouette. The leaner fit is has become so commonplace that anything lacking a tailored look stands out like a Hummer in a lot of Honda Priuses. It doesn’t take a GQ subscriber to see which of these things is not like the other, and the last thing you want is to give the impression that you or your skills are anything less than current.

Above: Traditional cut shirt and khakis engulf his frame.

The Fix:
Many brands now offer dress shirts in a slimmer cut, a welcome improvement over the traditional boxy fit for a lot of men. These more flattering styles are available from Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis, Geoffrey Beene, etc. The slimmer fit will be notated on the shirt’s tag using terms like City Fit, Modern Cut, and Tailored. This attention to body flattering lines has not stopped at the waist. Pants, from casual jeans to wool dress slacks and every fabric in between now come in a variety of fits as well.

Above: Modern cut dress shirt and slim straight cut khakis

Too Casual- You don’t have to wear a suit and tie to look professional or to be dressed well. Although internet casual has been embraced by the many, the T-shirt and jeans combo is not the new suit, except maybe in Los Angeles. The key to looking professional without resorting to suiting up is to make sure everything you have on fits well, appears new and clean with attention paid to the details. Clothing that is wrinkled or looks to be in less than excellent condition does not portray a solid professional image.

Above: Baggy jeans and T-shirt

The Fix:
Choose jeans with a darker wash (but not black) because they look dressier than their light blue counterparts. Select slacks that have a small amount of Lycra in the fabric, this will help them retain their shape throughout the day. If you aren’t going to wear a sport coat or suit  add another distinguishing touch by wearing a french cuff dress shirt with cuff links or a well made, lightweight sweater. For dress shirts use metal collar stays to ensure your collar won’t curl and stays stiff.

Above: Darker wash slim cut jean and quarter zip sweater

Above: Collars show wear on a shirt, keep them straight and stiff with metal stays (below)

Losing Your Distinction-

Don’t default to the lowest-common-denominator mentality when it comes to business casual (Polo+Khaki, sound familiar?), and internet casual doesn’t mean reverting back to looking like an intern. Yet while you want to avoid losing your identity in a sea of lackluster polos and khakis, be careful not to confuse distinction with flash.

Above: The ubiquitous polo and khaki

The Fix:
Pick up updated versions of the business casual classics with subtle creative detailing. From a distance you’ll simply look well put together and up close there is even more to admire.  Rather than black pants select a pair with a subtle plaid or pinstripe. Also consider a button down shirt with a patterned weave instead of a solid. When it comes to sweaters opt for a deep blue or forest green instead of grey. It’s actually easier to set yourself apart as a leader in a business casual atmosphere because the majority of your colleagues will be opting for the uninspired default polo and khaki uniform.

Above: Deep blue v-neck sweater and grey glen plaid slacks

Above: White stripe weave dress shirt, distinct but not flashy

The hard fact of the matter is that first impressions count. Especially when you network for business. Making a good, lasting impression isn’t all about what you say or how you act, it includes your personal style. Make sure your’s isn’t saying the wrong thing.

Emmi Sorokin is a national men’s image stylist and Founder of It’s a Man’s World Image Consulting, the first and only image and style firm in New England exclusively for men. Dressing her clients for personal and professional success, Emmi has been quoted in national magazines such as Research and Men’s Health. As one client put it, “Emmi is the only men’s image consultant who is frugal, brutally honest, speaks fluent man-ese, and has rabid fans.” You can follow Emmi on Twitter atwww.Twitter.com/AskEmmi and get more style guidance at www.amansworldco.com/wordpress.

I just ordered this book because that’s what Inquisix members do – they build business relationships that last.

If you’ve already read the book, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Fabulous article about Hulu from Fast Company magazine. Great lessons for every entrepreneur, every growing company or company wishing they could grow.

Can Hulu Save Traditional TV? -

Lessons to be learned for all on:

• Improving user experience
• Using analytics to figure out what users want instead of asking them (because they don’t tell you – think Edsel)
• “Dinosaur” TV networks learning from a lesson (missing out on YouTube) and taking the appropriate steps.   RIAA needs to do the same
• How to build revenue and market share.  Amen!

Yes, I know this blog post is not about referrals. But I’ve been reading Fast Company a lot lately and find so many of them to be well written and insightful.  Their articles should be required reading for anyone looking to grow in the new economy.  Maybe that’s why it’s called, “Fast Company”

I called a division of Acme Industrial [name changed to protect the guilty] a week ago and asked to speak to someone in sales as I had some questions.   The service runs about $7500-12,000 per year, not an insubstantial amount of investment. The phone system asked me to press 1 if I wanted to speak to someone who “would be happy to answer your questions about our services.” The person I got didn’t know anything about the product at all, and said someone would call me back.  Already a bad precedent, I wonder how the sales rep covering my territory would feel about their inside team dropping the ball.

A week goes by. A week!

So I call back today and go thru the menu prompts again and again I’m told I’ll be transferred to someone who “would be happy to answer your questions about our services.” When they did answer, they said that they have no record of my call last week. They put me on hold for 4 minutes. They come back on the line and ask me for the same contact information I provided a week earlier. Didn’t ask any qualifying questions, curiously, like budget, timeframe, or even what 2-3 top questions I wanted answered. Said “someone will call you back.” When I asked when I would hear from them or who would call me, the rep didn’t know. I pointed out it had been a week and I wanted this information as soon as possible so I could make a final decision – would I get a call back today? “I’ll ask them to call you sooner rather than later.”

By contrast, their competitor took my call live on the first time I called them, answered my questions reasonably well, and sent me email today to follow up.

What company can afford to put themselves in this situation? How many other calls did they handle this way? Sales live by the numbers, but this team isn’t doing themselves any good. And with marketers scrambling to justify their existence and their budgets based on closed leads, its clear that getting the metrics right is only part of the equation. What does this experience communicate to me as a prospective buyer about what it may be like to work with these guys? I felt a lack of accountability, lack of concern for me as a customer, and a very low service experience.   Guess who’s product I purchased?  And that Acme Industrial sales rep handling my territory never even knew what they lost.

Thanks to Malay Pharma Sales Rep Rant  for the picture.

2 great tips for freeing up a bunch of your time – from the in-box and out-box side of your desk.  First tip is from the out-box side on how to decide whether to respond to an RFP or not.  It’s tricky to tell if it’s a real RFP because they can just take SOOO much time.  What’s worse, coming in second or not having it awarded?  The second tip has really freed up my day to tackle my to-do list instead of read and respond to trivial stuff.

• How To Avoid Deals Where No Vendor Wins – Really enjoyed this post from Geoffrey. In discussions with other sales reps in various industries, there seems to be an uptick in RFPs being issued but two items stand out –
  * RFP decisions are pushed out out out. The company wants the RFP response back in 2 weeks but the decision drags drags drags. Hence the timeliness of Geoffrey’s post
  * RFPs in purgatory. In addition to new RFPs being issued, old ones are getting dusted off and sent out again. When you ask, “Why” the answer boils down to, “We’re getting ready JUST IN CASE…”
  Always a challege for a small company responding to an RFP from a F500 company when there’s no real good understanding (or belief) in whether the RFP’s really real or not.
• Improve Your Connect Rates – Absolutely spot on commentary. Emails are so easy and cheap to send that readers are bombarded by them. Therefore, they don’t read them or at best, scan thru them. I’ve even set up my BB to only accept emails from people who are already in my address book as all other emails get saved on my PC. Guess how many of them are read on my PC?

  Jim’s critical point – call & leave a message pointing out the details in your email. I’ve had a much higher connect rate when I both call (leave a message) and send an email. And as he says, “Persistence is key.”

Ever hit the “send” button on your email too quickly and then wished you could pull it back?  And if you try Outlook’s “Recall Message…” all it really does is highlight to the recipient that you made a mistake.

Here’s a perfect example of not proofing before you email.  And this was a cold call email blast to me from someone I don’t know.  Think I’ll be responding to this email with anything but “unsubscribe?”

There were a bunch of quick and valuable reminders and tips on the web this week on improving your sales process.

• Making You Suprisingly Unforgettable To Your Customers – Loved this post – in these days of too many competitors and too many choices offered to our prospects, here’s some great tips make yourself unforgettable. How many of you think of Nat & Natalie Cole when you hear the word, “Unforgettable” like I do?

• Three Tiny Changes That Drive Success – Nice reminders to help get you out of a sales rut. Don’t forget Dale Carnegie’s, “21 Days to Making it a Habit” as you try these changes. Assuming you don’t do them already!

• Quiz: How To Bypass a Gatekeeper – Real good quiz on bypassing the Gatekeeper when you just can’t get in. Interesting decision by Geoffrey on which department you should call into to ask for the transfer. Other ways:
  - try Jigsaw for direct dial # of executive
  - try Inquisix for a referral to the executive by someone they know.

Geoffrey’s idea is manipulative but sometimes you just have to try it. But only after you can’t get an Inquisix referral or JigSaw is not coughing up the direct dial numbe

Why Social Networking Isn’t the Next Best Thing…
… You are! It’s the personal connection—still—that seals the deal.

The Internet, social networking, and other breakthroughs in technology have fundamentally changed the way we do business. New technology drives communications, messaging, and information access at warp speed, and our clients expect immediate contact. This pattern of ever-increasing speed and sophistication not only creates an intensely competitive marketplace, but places further demands on us to act and respond quickly.

The rise of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, and LinkedIn have lured many sales pros into scaling back their personal interactions and relying on social media to surface “qualified leads.”

Get Real

Social media is a powerful tool for three things and three things only:

• Search engine optimization—use your key words and raise your presence on the web
• Find out who people are—learn about a person’s background and your connections
• Find out who people know—look for close connections that you can leverage

Some salespeople tell me they actually get clients through social media. Well, maybe if you have a commodity business. Could it happen? Yes. Do I rely on it? Absolutely not. I only count on what I bring about—through a proactive, intentional, referral strategy with personal introductions.

To Know You Is to Like You

There’s a saying in sales: Clients buy with emotion and justify with fact. If our clients don’t like us or don’t feel comfortable with us, they won’t buy from us. You can wow your clients with technology know-how now and try to win them over later, once they find out you’re honest and reliable. But the reality is, you need people to start liking you within the first few seconds of your relationship. You need to start off on the right foot. Fancy gizmos won’t make that happen. But a trusted referral and a personal connection will.

Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO of Google, in his commencement address to the graduating class of the University of Pennsylvania in May 2009, urged college graduates to step away from the virtual world and make human connections. “Turn off your computer. You’re actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around us.” (View the commencement address video here)

To Like You Is to Trust You

The most important business decisions are still based on personal relationships. There is significant research about why customers make buying decisions. Bottom line: It’s because they like and trust the salesperson and his organization. Think about it. We’re selling services, investments, systems, products… we’re asking for people’s time and money! Why would they work with someone who hasn’t been referred?

3 Winning Tips

That said, a social media presence is a must-have in today’s world. Start this way:

• Develop a social media strategy —Like a sales plan or a marketing plan, write your social media plan. What is your goal, who is your audience, what do you communicate? Leverage social media as part of your go-to-market strategy. How does your strategy link to your customer’s needs and your business priorities?
• Establish relationships —Take the time to build your personal connections, pick up the phone and talk to people. Just because you have a name in hand, doesn’t mean you have a relationship.
• Communicate useful information — Social sites are not for selling. They are for establishing connections, identifying ways to collaborate, and providing value. What tips can you provide? Link to other sites that you recommend. Be recognized as the expert and build your web presence. Be a resource.

To Trust You Paves the Way

The most energizing and exciting part of our work is the relationships with our clients—the interaction. We enjoy learning about our client’s business and matching our solutions to their needs. In an era dominated by ever-expanding technology and social media pressures, always remember that personal connections, referrals, and earning trust are what count. Yes, it requires brainpower. But isn’t that what we love about what we do? Indeed.

“You can’t have a better tomorrow if you’re thinking about yesterday.” — Charles Kettering

Quote of the Week – Great quote that should strike a chord in any sales rep, manager or business owner bemoaning their poor 2009 sales attainment. Sales people are usually very good at moving on whether the last month was a win or a dud but for anyone needing a reminder, read and internalize this quote. Now go get them!