In business to business markets, I am often asked which is best to focus on, advertising or personal (relationship) selling.
Before I answer the question, let’s look at what functions each perform and then draw a conclusion.
Assuming your enterprise has a direct sales force, it performs many functions such as; relationships, promoting your company, finding customers, [...]

Like everything else in this world, there are often multiple choices that can be made. Selecting a sales channel is no different. I have listed below the more popular sales channels and a very high level advantage and disadvantage of each.
Channel                                                      Chief Advantage                        Chief Disadvantage
Direct Sales Force                                  Account Control                                   Can be expensive
     If you have complex products [...]

A guest post by Bob McKee, highlighting the Pros and Cons of selling to the Government through the GSA.

In a previous postings I talked about Five Myths for both the direct sales force model and indirect selling model. This posting will discuss five major misconceptions about the direct marketing selling model. (Off and on line marketing, web site, social media and etc.).
 Five major direct marketing misconceptions:
 1-      Given today’s technologies, direct marketing is the [...]

In a previous posting I talked about Five Myths for the direct sales force. This posting will discuss five major misconceptions about the indirect channel (reseller, distributors, partners and etc.).
 Five major indirect channel misconceptions:
 1-      Partners, resellers, etc. are all alike. Nothing could be further from the truth! The major impression is that most indirect channels [...]

In my previous postings I talked about the three major sales channel models (direct, indirect and direct marketing). This posting will discuss five major misconceptions about the sales force in the direct sales channel model.
Five major direct sales force misconceptions:
 
1-      That the sales force is only “coin operated”, meaning they are motivated by money, money [...]

On the first day of sales, marketing gave to me (the sales force) an outstanding brand!
On the second day of sales, marketing gave to me two value propositions and an outstanding brand!
On the third day of sales, marketing gave to me, three new market segments, two value propositions and an outstanding brand!
On the fourth day [...]

All too often companies sign up a reseller(s), roll the dice and as they say, “hope for the best.”

Trivia Corner   In communication, what does DSL stand for?Last week’s answer: During the17th century in England,officialdocuments were wrapped in red tape. 

When the best doesn’t come, everyone wonders why goals are not being met, why the sales force is [...]

This is the eight in a series regarding Sales Channels
Last time we discussed the scenario of a direct sales channel and switching or adding an indirect channel. The key issues were: a complete strategy, reseller selection and a reseller program(s). This posting is about adding a Direct Marketing function. Again, like the last [...]

 
This is the seventh in a series regarding Sales Channels
 
One reader, who felt that the scorecard was a good guideline in defining the appropriate channels for many enterprises, wanted some insight on what should be considered in changing/ adding another channel, as her current channel is underperforming.  Well when the reader asks, we deliver, so [...]