Selling More By Building Your Hive

Starting my career, I never thought I wanted anything to do with sales.   

 

Soon, though, as I met folks in all different functions for my first employer, I began to realize that selling was where the action was.  Our reps were out of the office more, meeting with people, and were the face of our organization.  I learned that increasing revenues was a lot more fun than cutting costs.  I started spending more and more time with our reps in the field, and eventually became a marketing manager so that I could support them on a full-time basis.  Eventually, I went on to business school, and after that, I went to work for a large consulting company to help big sales teams improve.  

In time, I realized the best sales teams are built like this:

• The reps are fascinated by the product 
• The reps are team players, providing good information to their support team, fully believing that their manager is their trusted internal advocate
• The reps are the right match for hunting or farming (whatever their companies need)
• The reps are money motivated
• The reps can manage ambiguity
• The reps demand autonomy
• The reps are loyal to the organization (either because of their earnings or genuine happiness)

At the Partnership, I get to work with companies all across our region.  Buffalo Niagara employers need us to improve the business climate and help them do more with less.  It’s exciting for all of us when we can find a solution that can help them grow, and today is one of those days.  

We are launching a new alliance with SellingHive, a website that is about to change the way the world sells.  SellingHive is a web tool that allows reps to bid on introductions to decision makers, then rate their experience if they are the successful bidder- a lot like a hybrid of Ebay and LinkedIn.  SellingHive will allow reps to build their networks, cut down on cold calling, and get to decision makers faster.  

Even better?  SellingHive is a local company- based in the Southern Tier, they have been hiding out from the internet giants and are now easing their way into the market.  Buffalo Niagara Partnership members have the first crack at joining, and we are currently in a period of exclusivity with them.  To learn more, e-mail our Senior Director Sara Schumacher.   

Happy selling.