Turbo charging the sales team Best Practices

Delivering The Power of Now Since 1985 “TIBCO literally wrote the book on real-time information distribution, business organization, and business process.” (Gartner, September 6, 2001) 17 years of giving businesses The Power of Now 1,800 customers around the world Proven best practices and vertical solutions Proven technology and cutting-edge innovation Rich ecosystem of solution and implementation partners January 3, 2019

What do sales people need to succeed? Expert support in the field Fast response times from HQ The right sales tools Open communication channels with HQ Partner participation Proper training Compelling demos Recognition & guidance Happy customers January 3, 2019

“Walk a mile in their shoes” Get out in the field “Walk a mile in their shoes” Spend quality time out on the road Show your commitment to their success Get to know them beyond specific work goals Put that name to a face Present to your customers face-to-face Get direct feedback from your customers Customers will feel valued from the special attention Participate in quarterly and annual sales conferences Global visibility ensures the right contacts Sponsor a session January 3, 2019

“When sales needs your help, they need it now!” Form a SWAT Team “When sales needs your help, they need it now!” Hand pick your members from various groups Product Management + Product Marketing Engineering + Support + QA Field Ambassadors Hold weekly conference calls Keep everyone informed Share new leads, opportunities and outstanding issues Keep the momentum going Create effective communication channels Email aliases Archived Discussion Groups Form product Ambassador teams Each region gets a centralized “expert” January 3, 2019

Create open communication channels “Make remote teams feel ‘plugged in’” Ask for feedback Product Enhancement requests What can you do to help? Give prompt feedback Why we will or won’t do something Don’t be a “black hole” Set expectations Don’t sugar coat it or make commitments you can’t keep Give credit where credit is due Let them know they are making a difference January 3, 2019

Provide the right tools “Help sales, help themselves” Corporate portal provides easy access to information Document repositories Discussion Groups Enhancement requests Support status Build internal communities Share tips & tricks Upload “project ware” for re-use Demos Collateral Sales Presentations Competitive Briefs Press and Analyst Reports Reference customers January 3, 2019

“Effective partnering strategies execute in the field” Engage with partners “Effective partnering strategies execute in the field” Organize “Meet & Greets” Introduce your regional sales forces to regional partner teams Focus on opportunity recognition Create effective compensation plans Sales reps are motivated by CASH $$$ Comp both reps for a win/win situation Rules of engagement must be crisp and clear Joint Webinars Great for lead generation Road shows & other events Always insist that local sales teams participate January 3, 2019

Organize boot camps to prepare and train the sales team “Arm the sales force with the latest sales training” Regional events ensure the best participation Expense to regional sales team Split your boot camp into sales and technical tracks Sales will only be interested in the messaging & competition SCs will want to see it all Provide sales guidance Who to target What to pitch Competitive landmines “Hands On” labs are most popular by demand Avoid PowerPoint overdose and make it interactive Repeat as necessary New product launches New employee hires January 3, 2019

Build compelling demos “A picture is worth a thousand words” Hosted Demos Accessible around the globe Packaged Demos Starter Portal Recorded Demos Recordings of previous demos are reusable Flash demos are also effective Useful in POC scenarios Great demos can reduce actual POCs by up to 40% Mandatory POCs can build upon a pre-built demo platform January 3, 2019

Showcase a successful sales person “Leadership by Example” Create an internal case study Show how your champion used effective techniques Who did they compete against? How did they “seal the deal”? Sales teams are always looking for success stories How did they position? How did they deal with competitors? Recognition goes a long way Sales champions become an asset to you Others will want to keep you “in the loop” for their shot at fame January 3, 2019

Promote their customers as shining examples “Happy Customers = Happy Sales Teams” Showcase their customers in: Case Studies Press editorials Webinars Awards Nominations Sponsor customer user groups Customers “in the loop” have better relationships with sales User groups allow you to demonstrate upsell potential Create a Customer steering group Limited membership makes customers feel exclusive Customers with direct impact always feel more important Understanding customer requirements leads to success January 3, 2019

Utilize sales throughout the product lifecycle “Field experience can help you identify and develop new ideas” new product ideas concept incubation maturity What are the gaps in the marketplace today and in 18 months? Bounce new ideas & validate concepts Get flagship early adopters. Provide higher compensation Ramp up sales. Get continual feedback. Leverage reference customers. Adapt to emerging trends. January 3, 2019

Thank You Questions & Answers Contact David Hickman ActivePortal Product Line Manager dhickman@tibco.com http://www.tibco.com January 3, 2019

Abstract The sales team is one of the most critical success factors for a product. The sales team touches the customer directly, and the product manager must take responsibility to provide the sales tools and attitude needed to ensure success. Smart companies know that the information that comes back from the field is often just as important as what you send out. Best practices that encourage active participation between sales and product management and marketing can give your products the necessary edge in highly competitive technology markets. January 3, 2019