Marketers have used brand advertising since the 1950s, when brands were established to create emotional value with consumers, signal better quality or value,...
Marketers have used brand advertising since the 1950s, when brands were established to create emotional value with consumers, signal better quality or value, and to differentiate a product or service from the competition. Simon Clift, the former CMO of Unilever said, “A brand is the contract between a company and consumers.” This brand ‘contract’ represents the feeling of trust that a consumer has in that a brand will deliver on its promise of value when that product or...
Marketers have used brand advertising since the 1950s, when brands were established to create emotional value with consumers, signal better quality or value, and to differentiate a product or...
One of the oft touted features of CPQ is 'guided selling’, a series of easily understandable questions about a customer's needs to the salesperson who is trying...
One of the oft touted features of CPQ is 'guided selling’, a series of easily understandable questions about a customer's needs to the salesperson who is trying to configure a product or service. By answering these questions, the CPQ system will present relevant choices to the salesperson – sometimes just one clear recommendation of what to sell is made by the system. Contrast this with a typical configurator where all options are presented to the salesperson. It may be well...
One of the oft touted features of CPQ is 'guided selling’, a series of easily understandable questions about a customer's needs to the salesperson who is trying to configure a product or service....
We've been taking a deep dive into the real benefits of Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions and what lies beneath the headlines. Now let’s shift focus to a...
We've been taking a deep dive into the real benefits of Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions and what lies beneath the headlines. Now let’s shift focus to a benefit further down the 'quote-to-order' process. CPQ marketing materials often state that it can provide 'Error-Free Orders.' What does that really mean, and why should you care? Firstly let's look at where CPQ typically sits in the quote to order process: CRM<>CPQ<>ERP/Order Management. One of the key jobs of a CPQ...
We've been taking a deep dive into the real benefits of Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions and what lies beneath the headlines. Now let’s shift focus to a benefit further down...
In this on-going series of blogs that dive deep into the benefits that CPQ can bring, we've looked at how CPQ can help your salespeople sell faster and how it...
In this on-going series of blogs that dive deep into the benefits that CPQ can bring, we've looked at how CPQ can help your salespeople sell faster and how it can give your organization better control of margins. Now let's consider the 'Q' in CPQ - better looking quotes (and proposals). When I speak to salespeople about creating quotes and proposals, I always get conflicting stories. All of them value the impact that a well written quote or proposal can have. But, but many...
In this on-going series of blogs that dive deep into the benefits that CPQ can bring, we've looked at how CPQ can help your salespeople sell faster and how it can give your organization better control...
Profit Margin = Revenue - Cost / Revenue If we want control of our margins, we really need control of how our salespeople allocate revenue on a deal, and how it...
Profit Margin = Revenue - Cost / Revenue If we want control of our margins, we really need control of how our salespeople allocate revenue on a deal, and how it relates to our organization’s cost base. Let's take a look at how companies set their prices. Broadly speaking, the price of any product or service can be set as ‘cost plus’, or ‘what the market will bear.’ The latter generally involves some analysis or guesswork to establish a standard - often called 'List Price',...
Profit Margin = Revenue - Cost / Revenue If we want control of our margins, we really need control of how our salespeople allocate revenue on a deal, and how it relates to our organization’s...
I often read marketing copy for Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solutions that summarizes the many benefits that they can bring to an organization. I'll generally...
I often read marketing copy for Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solutions that summarizes the many benefits that they can bring to an organization. I'll generally read something like "Sell Faster", "Eliminate Errors", "Close Deals Quickly" or "Improve Margins." We're guilty of it too - if you visit our website the headline reads, "Sell More, Sell Faster with a Configure Price & Quote system." I wrote that copy and agonized for days over how best to encapsulate the value of CPQ in...
I often read marketing copy for Configure Price Quote (CPQ) solutions that summarizes the many benefits that they can bring to an organization. I'll generally read something like "Sell...
Sales Professionals Tune In! Here’s your opportunity to embrace change in the New Year by registering for Modern Customer Experience in Las Vegas, March 18-21,...
Sales Professionals Tune In! Here’s your opportunity to embrace change in the New Year by registering for Modern Customer Experience in Las Vegas, March 18-21, 2019! Attend MCX and interact with transformation leaders in the CX Exchange. Better yet, absorb everything about new trends or drill down in the conference breakout sessions. Hear from industry leaders including special guest Jacob Hayden at Parker Hannifin in the CX Sales general session as they share how they are...
Sales Professionals Tune In! Here’s your opportunity to embrace change in the New Year by registering for Modern Customer Experience in Las Vegas, March 18-21, 2019! Attend MCX and interact with...
By Kimberly Guillon Oracle is top-ranked in current offering category, receiving the highest possible scores in the sales force automation (SFA), marketing...
By Kimberly Guillon Oracle is top-ranked in current offering category, receiving the highest possible scores in the sales force automation (SFA), marketing automation and customer service criteria Oracle has been named a leader in CRM suites by Forrester Research. The Forrester Wave™: CRM Suites, Q4 2018 gave Oracle the highest score of any vendor in the current offering category and cites Oracle’s ability to unify front- and back-office functions, noting that “Oracle's...
By Kimberly Guillon Oracle is top-ranked in current offering category, receiving the highest possible scores in the sales force automation (SFA), marketing automation and customer service criteria...
By Fortune Alexander, Sr. Director, CX Product Strategy, Oracle As a sales leader, are you haunted by your annual planning process? Do you cringe when your CEO...
By Fortune Alexander, Sr. Director, CX Product Strategy, Oracle As a sales leader, are you haunted by your annual planning process? Do you cringe when your CEO or CFO asks you when the Sales Plan will finally be ready? Does your Head of Sales Ops threaten to quit during the planning cycle? If so, you’re not alone. Most sales organizations take weeks, even months, to produce their sales plans. In fact, only 28% of companies have incentive compensation plans, territories, and...
By Fortune Alexander, Sr. Director, CX Product Strategy, Oracle As a sales leader, are you haunted by your annual planning process? Do you cringe when your CEO or CFO asks you when the Sales Plan...
