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Show HN: Minutes – Save up to 20% of salespeople's time

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Re: Show HN: Minutes – Save up to 20% of salespeople's time

#11

Post by ghaff »

burnte wrote: post #9

I have a great method for keeping sales calls short, and pretty much 90% of my meetings are 30 minutes or less. * Agendas: I do not take a meeting request without an agenda. 50% of the time this eliminates the meeting because either it's a few questions than can be an email, or they cancel the request because doing that is too much work. This is ideal when people are using meetings to transfer cognitive loads to othe…

In general, MOST calls should be 30 minutes.

There are valid exceptions but with the increasing default to video calls one of the trends I favor is a general shift to 30 minute calls for most purposes.

Long pre-pandemic, as an analyst, I found that most topics could be covered in 30 minutes. If you were a client I'd cut some slack but otherwise 30 minutes.

Re: Show HN: Minutes – Save up to 20% of salespeople's time

#12

Post by candiddevmike »

burnte wrote: post #9

I have a great method for keeping sales calls short, and pretty much 90% of my meetings are 30 minutes or less. * Agendas: I do not take a meeting request without an agenda. 50% of the time this eliminates the meeting because either it's a few questions than can be an email, or they cancel the request because doing that is too much work. This is ideal when people are using meetings to transfer cognitive loads to othe…

> I skip all the prelim questions where they "learn about your business" which is just looking for other opportunities to pitch me things. I know my business, I know my need, let's talk about how your product fits that.

The only way for the sales folks to tailor a demo or presentation for you is to learn about your business. Your method here comes across as very transactional and impersonal, you need a relationship with your sales rep as much as they need one with you so they will have your back or give you discounts. It's how the game is played.

Re: Show HN: Minutes – Save up to 20% of salespeople's time

#13

Post by thereisnospork »

candiddevmike wrote: post #12
burnte wrote: post #9

I have a great method for keeping sales calls short, and pretty much 90% of my meetings are 30 minutes or less. * Agendas: I do not take a meeting request without an agenda. 50% of the time this eliminates the meeting because either it's a few questions than can be an email, or they cancel the request because doing that is too much work. This is ideal when people are using meetings to transfer cognitive loads to othe…

> I skip all the prelim questions where they "learn about your business" which is just looking for other opportunities to pitch me things. I know my business, I know my need, let's talk about how your product fits that. The only way for the sales folks to tailor a demo or presentation for you is to learn about your business. Your method here comes across as very transactional and impersonal, you need a relationship w…

>The only way for the sales folks to tailor a demo or presentation for you is to learn about your business. Your method here comes across as very transactional and impersonal, you need a relationship with your sales rep as much as they need one with you so they will have your back or give you discounts. It's how the game is played.

My POV:

Most of the time none of these things are only value-detractors, not value-adders. 95+% of the time I know what I want I just need a price and someone to hand me a credit card form for it. Very occasionally I have a specific need and am fishing for a solution. As for relationship and trust? There is a complete divergence of interests between me and people selling me stuff, there is not and cannot be 'trust'. Sure it is nice to small talk once in a while but that's really not why I'm calling.

Accordingly I divert my spend to the largest extent possible towards suppliers with transparent pricing, transparent technical data, and a friction-less sales process (Read: no synchronous communication requirements).

Re: Show HN: Minutes – Save up to 20% of salespeople's time

#18

Post by hermanradtke »

thereisnospork wrote: post #13
candiddevmike wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I skip all the prelim questions where they "learn about your business" which is just looking for other opportunities to pitch me things. I know my business, I know my need, let's talk about how your product fits that. The only way for the sales folks to tailor a demo or presentation for you is to learn about your business. Your method here comes across as very transactional and impersonal, you need a relationship w…

>The only way for the sales folks to tailor a demo or presentation for you is to learn about your business. Your method here comes across as very transactional and impersonal, you need a relationship with your sales rep as much as they need one with you so they will have your back or give you discounts. It's how the game is played. My POV: Most of the time none of these things are only value-detractors, not value-add…

As an engineer, I am the same way. Since I’ve been working more closely with sales I have learned the overwhelming majority of people are not like this.

Re: Show HN: Minutes – Save up to 20% of salespeople's time

#20

Post by p2hari »

burnte wrote: post #9

I have a great method for keeping sales calls short, and pretty much 90% of my meetings are 30 minutes or less. * Agendas: I do not take a meeting request without an agenda. 50% of the time this eliminates the meeting because either it's a few questions than can be an email, or they cancel the request because doing that is too much work. This is ideal when people are using meetings to transfer cognitive loads to othe…

> I skip all the prelim questions where they "learn about your business" which is just looking for other opportunities to pitch me things. I know my business,

My two cents...But do you know all the best practices? Let's say the product you are evaluating is used by your peers. It would be good to know what they use the product for or customizations they have gone through. For that the sales guys will need to learn how you are doing your business.

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