Trade show boothmanship training? Not bloody likely

I’ve been getting a lot of emails from trade show/conference vendors about training for trade shows. While I’m a big fan the e-newsletter, this might not be the best tactic for companies who create exhibit booths and signage seeing as the economy took a nosedive this past year and just about everyone has cut back big expenses – like trade shows. Marketing and sales folks are recycling what they have from last year and an email about “boothmanship” training isn’t likely going to change their mind and drive them to the company for a soft sell. So, what should these companies do?

Well, if I headed up marketing at a trade show company, I wouldn’t give up the newsletter, but I also wouldn’t send it every 2 weeks. That’s just going to annoy me. I’d also go back to some traditional marketing to create brand awareness and I’d revamp my message to talk about:

-          Cost effective methods for trade shows and conferences – cut your cost in half, while increasing qualified leads

-          Pre-conference jitters: Practical methods on how to maximize sales time at the event

-          Attracting attention to your company: How to make them come to you

With all that said and done, these companies likely won’t see the dollars coming in for another 6-9 months, but at least they will be top-of-mind once corporate marketers can spend again.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Celebrity CEO: Don't Put all your eggs in one basket

We all know them. We all love or hate them. But, the question is whether or not the celebrity CEO is good or bad for companies. With CEOs-turned-industry-leaders- like Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Steve Balmer (former and current CEO of Microsoft), Martha Stewart, and Larry Ellison - you have larger than life leadership tied to the well being of the company (at least that’s what most people think). Comments from these gentlemen can move markets, similar to the power Alan Greenspan once held. But, there is a lesson to be learned from creating Celebrity CEOs. Companies built around one man (or woman) – no matter the dynamic personality or genius – can put the entire organization at risk, and there are many examples to choose from.

·         You need look no further than one of my all-time favorite Celebrity CEOs – Steve Jobs. From his first illness some years ago to today’s “mystery illness,” Apple’s stock price seems to rise and fall based on the health of this gentleman.

·         American International Group, a major global insurance company, was headed up by former Celebrity CEO Maurice (Hank) Greenberg for more than four decades. When he “retired” from his post, the public was uncertain about the company’s new leadership and the stock took a momentary dip. His celebrity-dom rubbed off on his sons – Jeffrey W. Greenberg, former celebrity chairman & CEO of Marsh & McLennan Companies, who was publicly ousted from the position; and Evan G. Greenberg, president & CEO of ACE Limited, the lesser known Greenberg.

·         Martha Stewart’s drawn out investigation, her time as a jailbird and finally her release made headlines around the world.

·         While last month’s downgrade of General Electric from its AAA-rating received lots of attention, Berkshire Hathaway’s similar downgrade was largely ignored. Unlike the ratings downgrade of GE and many other high profile companies (including ExxonMobil, J&J, ADP, and Pfizer), criticism about Warren Buffett’s reign over the company’s investments and acquisitions were looked upon as long-standing concerns tied to the health of the company. Of course, in the case of the Oracle of Omaha’s financial wizardry, the criticism bounced off him like raindrops hitting the curve of a car’s windshield. However, what happens when Buffett decides to retire or hand over the reins to someone else (you never know at his age).

While you want your CEO to be a visionary and stand as the leadership within a company, it’s not always a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket and create only a solitary celebrity spotlight. There are three major issues associated with creating a celebrity leader:

-          Larger-than-life expectations can lead to dangerously exaggerated disappointments. Investor confidence is a vital element for public or equity-backed companies, and celebrity CEOs typically cause a roller coaster effect of highs that are too high, and lows that are too low. 

-          A single misstep by the Celebrity CEO – including personal misfortunesm as per Steve Jobs – can have a disastrous effect on the stock price or even the profits. We won’t even mention the criminal or civil suits some of today’s celebrity CEOs may face in the not-so-distant future.

-          Overemphasis on the leader to solve all the company’s problems.

-          The importance of well planned, duly announced succession.

Cost of Hiring a PR Firm

I’ve just finished a round of new business meetings, which is typical this time of year.  And, the bottom-line question is always – “How much will it cost?”.  The answer you should be getting on this initial question should be “It depends on what our strategic plan will be as that will drive the cost” or something to that effect.  After I give that caveat, I’m able to give a range based on a basic PR plan, but often ask them not to hold me to it as we haven’t developed a plan yet.  So, what should expect in terms of your bill?

Fees:  There seems to be this mystery surrounding how agencies get paid.  There are two generally accepted methods. 

 

      1-    Hourly billing against allocated budget.  Typically, mid-sized to larger firms have an hourly billing rate.  Senior executives have higher billing rates ($275 - $375), while mid-level executives ($125-  $250) and junior account people ($75 - $100) have lower billing rates.  Similar to lawyers, time is logged against accounts and tracked against a monthly or annual budget fee.  Most agencies will charge additional fees once the monthly/annual budget is time spent. 

2-    Retainers. Some agencies bill by monthly retainers.  Some agencies will track time against monthly retainers, while others will have a set scope of work against retainer and any activities beyond the set scope of work will be billed accordingly.  I’m of the mindset that a set monthly retainer against a scope of work makes the most sense (at least for us) because the client doesn’t care how much time you spend to make something happen as long as it happens and, frankly, I hate administrative work as it takes the focus away from our clients.  We have some language in our contracts to make certain that we aren’t taken advantage of, but I just can’t be bothered to keep track of time.   

A third method that publicity-heavy firms have been doing is pay for performance.  The issue here is that publicity is only a small piece of public relations and if you’re hiring just “to get ink,” the likelihood that your “PR” program will not meet any objectives you have in mind.

 

Watch out for the mark-ups and hidden fees.

Ok.  You’re ready to sign-up with a PR firm.  Before you do, ask some questions:

1-    Do you charge for your operations?  This is one that irks me.  Some firms charge a set monthly expense to cover some of their operational expense.  Normally, this can be found as a separate line item. It’s an older billing practice that I believe should no longer be in effect.  I’ve heard firms justify this line item as saying that it covers the phone calls and office supplies used on behalf of the client.  That makes absolutely no sense.  The telephone company usually has one set monthly fee for all phones with North America.  And, as for office supplies, it’s likely you’re getting a double whammy on this one. 

2-    Do you mark-up any of the out of pocket expenses?  It’s standard practice for most agencies to mark up vendor invoices.  If an agency is using Kinkos or Staples to produce a large sign for a trade show, there is usually a 10-20% mark-up on your invoice.  It’s a small revenue stream for many firms. To be fair to both a client and a firm – who has to layout dollars, sometimes thousands of dollars – ask for all vendor invoices to be directly billed to you (the client) with a quick pre-approval process via email.

3-    How and what do you charge for faxing, production (e.g. copying, printing, etc.) and creation of print materials?  Believe it or not, the production room is one of the most profitably centers in a PR firm.  Many firms are still charging a page per fax fee, which makes absolutely no sense as it’s all part of the set telephone monthly fee. 

 

Companies who hire PR firms often don’t ask the right questions about billing upfront and are surprised when they get the first invoice.  In all likelihood, the agency will likely remove the offending expense line item if asked.  But, instead of being surprised and having to take time out of your day, why not make sure that you ask the right questions upfront and come to an understanding before signing the contract and committing yourself.

2009 Predictions in Tech Marketing and Tech PR

  Happy 2009! It's a Bear market all around the world, but I don't think it will completely collapse the tech PR and marketing industry . . .  at least not for small and mid-sized firms. Here are my predictions for 2009:

1- Tech PR firms will have a resurgence this year. Specifically, the small and mid-sized firms will really do well. My rationale...companies are starting to get smarter about marketing during a recession. And, while some may hire a PR manager internally, I think the likelihood is that the head or marketing will hire an external resource as there is resistence within the organization.

2- There will be a huge number of Tech PR practitioners starting their own individual consulting business or their own firm (either by themselves or with a partner). And, many will NOT be virtual.

3- There will be massive turnover in the tech marketing space in Q3 and 4. If we hold to the "economy will start to come back by mid-year" theory, you'll have a lot of in-house marketers seeking new horizons.

4- With Obama coming in, increased regulations across all markets - financial, health, etc.- this is the year of the CFO and CIO. Companies will be pushing the CFO and CIO to superstar status and begin marketing them outside the company to assure/re-assure the public, Wall Street, and shareholders that the company has excellent people in place to ensure compliance.

5- Lastly, IT managers and CIOs have gotten smarter over the last couple of years about their public image. They realized that a healthy public profile, whether in IT magazines or on social networks, will boost their image value internally and externally. We'll see a lot more CIOs and their direct reports on social media and microblogging sites.

6- Tech magazines have been getting thinner and thinner. This year, many of the IT trades will be pulled off shelves and turn subscription-only for the print publication.

7- Trade shows are already fading, but this year, we'll see conference show management companies begin to explore virtual trade shows and events, which will have similar sponsorships, booths, etc. but will be entirely online.

8- Ironically, social media marketing hasn't been a big hit with tech marketers. I believe this struggle to understand social media will continue in '09.

9- There has been an explosion in blogging, but I believe that by the end of 2009 the majority of corporate tech blogs will be abandoned due to lack of time and mismanagement. The interest will still be there, but I've watched marketers struggle with how to work a blog.

10- Large PR will lose business to boutique tech PR firms due to client budget cuts. Or, maybe that's wishful thinking on my part.

Let's see how many of these predictions for Tech PR and Marketing is correct come this December.

Twitter for Tech PR

OK.  I’m completely obsessed with Twitter. So sue me.  If you’ve been on Twitter, you might be asking yourself, what the hell am I supposed to do with this?  So, I can blast out every move I make, where I am and read the same about other people’s lives.  But, who cares?  The question should be “what’s the practical use?”  I work with a lot of marketing/media clients and, for the most part, they get it. But for my tech PR clients, they haven’t quite made the leap yet.

Twitter is a utility to reach influencers, prospects and other important audiences.  Granted that at least 60% of the tweets are about getting coffee, venting and seemingly useless information, but when you look closely, is it really?  There are discussions on what people are interested in, what they are reading and industry debates.  The reason it’s important, the people are your target audience in some way shape or form.

Visibility is the key reason for why tech companies (or any company) should use Twitter – from the CEO to the head of sales to your marketing/PR department.  And, Twitter retains loyal little Tweeters as outlined in Gregor Hochmuth’s TechCrunch article - Why Twitter Hasn’t Failed: The Power of the Audience

1-      Get to know reporters and become part of their conversations.  Reporters are people too  and have lives, special interests, hobbies and viewpoints.  Follow your Tweets and becoming smarter about who they are.  More importantly, get into the conversation, share your viewpoints and show your expertise.  It’s a great way to become a resource to individual reporters and, potentially, to make it into their articles.

2-      Twitter is a great way to get to know your clients and to generate prospective leads, especially if you’re targeting the C-suite executive.  If you’re targeting CIOs or their direct reports, it’s nearly impossible to break the barrier using traditional marketing tactics.  The IT folks are so skeptical about marketing – even of their own internal marketing communications.  So, get on Twitter and start getting to know these folks.  Make sure you start a conversation with them on a topic they care about, not what you want to talk about.

      3-      Connect to influencers in your industry or even in vertical industries.  See what they are saying about trends, your competitors and your company. Industry analysts, pundits and prominent bloggers are (nearly) all on Twitter. You just can’t miss this opportunity.

4-      Keep an eye on your competition by seeing what they are tweet, tweet, tweeting about.  I’ll bet you lunch that they are keeping and eye on you….and, if not, their lost.

I admit I'm obsessed.  But Twitter is a great microblogging tool and it's served me well.  You won't be instantly gratified and you definitely need to spend some time building up your social media connections and participate in conversations, but when Twitter does "give back", it'll be worth it.

The Cost of Hiring a PR Firm

I’ve just finished a round of new business meetings, which is typical this time of year, and the bottom-line question is always – “How much will it cost?”  The answer you should be getting on this initial question should be “It depends on what our strategic plan will be as that will drive the cost” or something to that effect.  After I give that caveat, I’m able to give a range based on a basic PR plan, but often ask them not to hold me to it as we haven’t developed a plan yet.  So, what should you expect in terms of your bill?

Fees:  There seems to be this mystery surrounding how agencies get paid.  There are two generally accepted methods.  

1-      Hourly billing against allocated budget.  Typically, mid-sized to larger firms have an hourly billing rate.  Senior executives have higher billing rates ($275 - $375), while mid-level executives ($125-$250) and junior account people ($75 - $100) have lower billing rates.  Similar to lawyers, time is logged against accounts and tracked against a monthly or annual budget fee.  Most agencies will charge additional fees once the monthly/annual budget time is spent. 

2-      Retainers. Some agencies bill by monthly retainers.  Some agencies will track time against monthly retainers, while others will have a set scope of work against retainer and any activities beyond the set scope of work will be billed accordingly.  I’m of the mindset that a set monthly retainer against a scope of work makes the most sense (at least for us) because the client doesn’t care how much time you spend to make something happen as long as it happens and, frankly, I hate administrative work as it takes the focus away from our clients.  We have some language in our contracts to make certain that we aren’t taken advantage of and I just can’t be bothered to keep track of time.   

A third method that publicity-heavy firms have been doing is pay for performance.  The issue here is that publicity is only a small piece of public relations and if you’re hiring just “to get ink” then it is likely that your “PR” program will not meet any objectives you have in mind.

Watch out for the mark-ups and hidden fees. 

Okay, now you’re ready to sign-up with a PR firm but before you do, ask some questions:

      1-      Do you charge for your operations?  This is one that irks me.  Some firms charge a set monthly expense to cover some of their operational expense.  Normally, this can be found as a separate line item. It’s an older billing practice that I believe should no longer be in effect.  I’ve heard firms justify this line item as saying that it covers the phone calls and office supplies used on behalf of the client.  That makes absolutely no sense.  The telephone company usually has one set monthly fee for all phones with

North America

.  And, as for office supplies, it’s likely you’re getting a double whammy on this one. 

2-      Do you mark-up any of the out of pocket expenses?  It’s standard practice for most agencies to mark up vendor invoices.  If an agency is using Kinkos or Staples to produce a large sign for a trade show, there is usually a 10-20% mark-up on your invoice.  It’s a small revenue stream for many firms. To be fair to both a client and a firm – who has to layout dollars, sometimes thousands of dollars – ask for all vendor invoices to be directly billed to you (the client) with a quick pre-approval process via email.

3-      How and what do you charge for faxing, production (e.g. copying, printing, etc.), and creation of print materials?  Believe it or not, the production room is one of the most profitably centers in a PR firm.  Many firms are still charging a page per fax fee, which makes absolutely no sense as it’s all part of the set telephone monthly fee. 

Companies who hire PR firms often don’t ask the right questions about billing upfront and are surprised when they get their first invoice.  In all likelihood, the agency will remove the offending expense line item if asked.  But, instead of being surprised and having to take time out of your day, why not make sure that you ask the right questions upfront and come to an understanding before signing the contract and committing yourself.

There’s one thing to keep in mind. Don’t hire a PR firm with the thought that “it’s more cost effective than advertising.”

How to Write a Tech PR Release

There have been a lot of pundits crying out that the "press release" is dead because no one pays attention (especially bloggers and reporters).  If that's the case, why do we see hundreds of releases on wire services every day?  Even better, why are reporters and bloggers reporting on press release content? Example, ManageSoft recently launched an Oracle compliance package and it's been widely covered by media outlets and bloggers.  Please don't mistaken this as having a press release and sending it out.  The press release is only the beginning.  There has to be a well thought out, targeted media and blogger list as well as follow-up with media.

The press release isn't dead.  It's just overused and abused.  Here's my take on how to write a better tech press release:

1- Leave the tech jargon at home.  Yes, you need some tech specs in the release, but  it's better to have a clear, concise message of the benefits your product or service brings to customers.  Remember that you're not only talking about prospective clients, but you may have additional audiences: reporters, bloggers, influencers, additional decisionmakers, investors or stakeholders, vendors, partners and the sales channels.  Besides, reporters HATE jargon.

2- Leave marketing-speak at home.  The key term in marketing today is "be genuine." Most marketers haven't gotten to this point yet.  You need to stop trying to put a spin on the release and state the facts.  Ask any reporter.  That's not to say your release needs to be dry and lifeless, but it can't read like an ad (most marketers will do this...why?  You got me).  I have this conversation with marketing executives all the time.

3- What's the %$#^#$^ news angle! I'm repeating myself, but I can't stress this enough. You have to ask yourself three questions: What problem does my product/service solve?  Is it unique?  What's the benefit (e.g. 30% savings, 55% efficiency, etc.).  And, puh-leeze, don't sit there and compare yourself with your competition.  :-)  And, yes, most of the time the announcement will not be a world-changing event, but you still need to ask those questions.  You may even be writing a client application story or case study release.

4- Less is more.  Releases should be no more than a page (maybe a page and a half with boilerplate and contact block).

5- But, honey, where do I put the tech specs?  Last paragraph.

6- Quotes.  Keep them short, sweet and try to actually have your executives say something.  Being "pleased" or "excited" might go over well in an intimate setting, but it's a wasted quote.  Of course, all you agency folks who have fought the battle and lost, don't feel bad.  At least you tried to give the right counsel.

7- Social media release.  If you have video, audio, images, blog, blog carnival or any other type of multimedia or social media that would enhance your announcement, use it.

Of course, I'm a believer that there are different reasons for using a release.  Not all press releases are equal, therefore, the strategy and tactics will be different on a case-by-case basis. The old rule of thumb is to have 2 or 3 releases in queue every month.  If your company has that much real news, I say WOW. But, the liklihood is that you may have something of substance to announce every month and that includes new client acquisitions. 

Palin Thought Africa was a Country, Not a Continent

Sarah Palin was obviously not prepared for many of her media interviews.  There are 2 PR lessons to be learned from the FOX news post-mortem of the internal rumblings in the Palin-McCain campaign:

1- Be prepared during public appearances, especially media interviews.  Don't stray from your area of expertise.  And, study what you need to know insteadn of winging it.

2- Remember that your internal audience - employees, vendors, etc. - are also part of your "public".  This post-mortem coverage of the Palin-McCain camp was contained during the campaign (barely), but the unflattering stories on Palin's lack of knowledge about the world outside Alaska will damage her reputation even further.  I'm thinking there is more to come.

Another point is how quickly news like this can spread on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, blogs and other social networks. People just love to send around humiliating video or audio (remember Alex Baldwin's voicemail to his daughter?). Nothing spreads faster.

B2B Marketing Lead Generation

So many companies struggle with lead generation, but with the right sales team and marketing support, it should make lead generation a lot easier.  Marketing should be creating lead generating programs (as well as brand building), while sales should be taking those leads and turning them into customers. 

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.  There are some tried and true lead generating marketing tactics that will give you qualified leads as long as the strategy, content and implementation are done correctly.

1-      Webinars: This is a cost effective method of generating leads without ever leaving your desk.  But, you need to have content people want to hear and you need to be genuine in your delivery (in other words, don’t do a hard sell). This only involves getting

2-      Executive breakfast events: For whatever reason, senior level executives who are  decision makers will always come out for a free breakfast.  Once again, make sure you have something they want to come out for – maybe even hire a speaker of note.

     3-     Trade shows and conferences: I’m reluctant to put this one in as I’m not a big fan of exhibiting at a lot of trade shows as they are very costly and the ROI is often in the negative numbers.

4-      Channel or marketing partnerships: All the major software and hardware companies have strong reseller programs, where other companies do much of the work selling.

5-      Referrals program: Nothing will ever be better than having your clients refer you.  Create a client referral program that incentives your clients, partners and vendors to refer business to you.

      6-      Online social networking: Get to know your prospects without a lot of selling pressure and be there when they are ready to commit.  Granted this tactic probably takes the most patience and time, but when you’re able to monitor what the frustrations of your prospects (and even your clients are), you’ll get a better handle on what their needs. 

7-      Online marketing: The most effective and least expensive tactics are online (though online sponsorships and advertising costs continue to rise).  Consider having a good search engine marketing/optimization program – including pay per click ads, sponsorships, link programs as well as organic search.  In addition, consider online sponsorships to drive people to your site or to take action (e.g. download a white paper); generate brand awareness; or create a tie-in to an existing campaign (whether offline or online).

8-      White paper: By creating a content on a subject that your prospects want to read about, you can easily capture leads

9-      Blog, blog, blog: Blogs are a no pressure sales tactic. 

10-   Public relations: This is less of a hard sell and more about building communications and a well-rounded message, but this is one of the only tactics that will help build credibility.  Tactics such as:

·         Media coverage and commentary

·         Articles bylined by a company executive

·         Industry analyst relations program

·         Speaking on panels or at conferences: The very best leads often come from conversations after the speaking opportunity when people approach you to pick your brain.

·         Viral marketing campaigns such as online videos and podcasts

Even the best lead generating campaigns cannot work if there is poor team work and collaboration.  Your sales and marketing teams need to work together in order for marketing to work. Everyone from the CEO to the receptionist should know who your customers are and what they need.  Customer service should be at the top of the list of important lead generating activities. And, you need to understand how to optimize your lead management process. 

If you’re head is spinning and you’re wondering how you’ll get to some of these tactics, hire help (either internal or external).  I’ve seen a lot of companies try to “do it all” and fail – either the program is half finished, the tactic doesn’t get the attention it needs or the content is lame (as no one has time to think it through).  If you can’t hire, then take one tactic at a time.

Lead generation isn’t difficult.  It’s that the prospect isn’t usually ready to sign on right away – lead time can be anywhere from 6 months to 2 years.  The difficulty is getting your sales team to push the prospect along through the pipeline and nurture them over a long period of time (meaning that your sales team needs to have staying power and your attrition rate needs to be extremely low).

Lead Generation Marketing

So many companies struggle with lead generation, but with the right sales team and marketing support, it should make lead generation a lot easier.  Marketing should be creating lead generating programs (as well as brand building), while sales should be taking those leads and turning them into customers. 

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.  There are some tried and true lead generating marketing tactics that will give you qualified leads as long as the strategy, content and implementation are done correctly.

1-      Webinars: This is a cost effective method of generating leads without ever leaving your desk.  But, you need to have content people want to hear and you need to be genuine in your delivery (in other words, don’t do a hard sell). This only involves getting

2-      Executive breakfast events: For whatever reason, senior level executives who are decision makers will always come out for a free breakfast.  Once again, make sure you have something they want to come out for – maybe even hire a speaker of note.

3-      Trade shows and conferences: I’m reluctant to put this one in as I’m not a big fan of exhibiting at a lot of trade shows as they are very costly and the ROI is often in the negative numbers.

4-      Channel or marketing partnerships: All the major software and hardware companies have strong reseller programs, where other companies do much of the work selling.

5-      Referrals program: Nothing will ever be better than having your clients refer you.  Create a client referral program that incentives your clients, partners and vendors to refer business to you.

      6-      Online social networking: Get to know your prospects without a lot of selling pressure and be there when they are ready to commit.  Granted this tactic probably takes the most patience and time, but when you’re able to monitor what the frustrations of your prospects (and even your clients are), you’ll get a better handle on what their needs. 

7-      Online marketing: The most effective and least expensive tactics are online (though online sponsorships and advertising costs continue to rise).  Consider having a good search engine marketing/optimization program – including pay per click ads, sponsorships, link programs as well as organic search.  In addition, consider online sponsorships to drive people to your site or to take action (e.g. download a white paper); generate brand awareness; or create a tie-in to an existing campaign (whether offline or online).

8-      White paper: By creating a content on a subject that your prospects want to read about, you can easily capture leads

9-      Blog, blog, blog: Blogs are a no pressure sales tactic. 

10- Public relations: This is less of a hard sell and more about building communications and a well-rounded message, but this is one of the only tactics that will help build credibility.  Tactics such as:

·         Media coverage and commentary

·         Articles bylined by a company executive

·         Industry analyst relations program

·         Speaking on panels or at conferences: The very best leads often come from conversations after the speaking opportunity when people approach you to pick your brain.

·         Viral marketing campaigns such as online videos and podcasts

Even the best lead generating campaigns cannot work if there is poor team work and collaboration.  Your sales and marketing teams need to work together in order for marketing to work. Everyone from the CEO to the receptionist should know who your customers are and what they need.  Customer service should be at the top of the list of important lead generating activities. And, you need to understand how to optimize your lead management process. 

If you’re head is spinning and you’re wondering how you’ll get to some of these tactics, hire help (either internal or external).  I’ve seen a lot of companies try to “do it all” and fail – either the program is half finished, the tactic doesn’t get the attention it needs or the content is lame (as no one has time to think it through).  If you can’t hire, then take one tactic at a time.

Lead generation isn’t difficult.  It’s that the prospect isn’t usually ready to sign on right away – lead time can be anywhere from 6 months to 2 years.  The difficulty is getting your sales team to push the prospect along through the pipeline and nurture them over a long period of time (meaning that your sales team needs to have staying power and your attrition rate needs to be extremely low).