Paul North

📈 🙌 Sales Navigator *Masterclass 8* streaming to you on May 16th @ 3.30pm AEDT 🎉 🥂 -- 'Accelerating Sales Success' (and who doesn't want that?) -- This session will explore some of the more advanced features of Sales Navigator to help you focus in on exactly the right people at the right time. Click here to register: https://lnkd.in/dvbqsdxM

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At Salesforce, we have helped thousands of marketing teams maximise ROI with data and AI powered by Salesforce Marketing Cloud—do you want to do the same? Join this live webinar to learn how.

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Truly personalised marketing and comms is incredibly important. We can all agree on that. But - not a heck of a lot of Kiwi B2B orgs get this right. Data is all over the place, <firstname> is common place, and 'monthly newsletters' are in abundance... There has to be a better way... Aucklanders - join us at the flash new Salesforce HQ, 20th August 2024 for breakfast, and to learn how you can really drive engaging, highly personalised comms to your customers: https://lnkd.in/gpfeND-U

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Salesforce's decision to make their core products available on the AWS Marketplace in Australia (and globally) is a significant endorsement of the trust and confidence they have in AWS's scale and reach. By leveraging the extensive infrastructure and broad capabilities provided by AWS, Salesforce can now offer their cutting-edge solutions to a wider audience while maintaining the highest levels of performance, security, and reliability. The streamlined procurement process, flexible pricing options, and consolidated billing offered by the AWS Marketplace also make it simpler than ever for organisations to harness the full potential of their cloud investments. In my view, this strategic partnership between Salesforce and AWS is a significant milestone in the growing adoption of software marketplaces as an enabler for business growth and innovation. As more companies seek to leverage advanced technologies like AI, the ability to quickly access and deploy best-in-class solutions through a trusted platform will be paramount to achieving success in the digital age. #SalesforceOnAWS #TrustedPartnership #ScalingInnovation

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Here's the stark facts in sales today. - 31% of reps are making quota - Nearly half (44%) of deals slip - Sales cycles are double digits longer, win rates are double digits down - Inbound leads are down - Salesforce recognised the need to increase pipeline coverage to by 50% (from x2 to x3) Most of those we speak to recognise all these challenges. But they are stuck. "Do more with less" is the message. They have cut teams and fought for those remaining. Their organisations are stuck with blind hope and knives sharpening. The only solution they know is to fire and replace. Because the real problems aren't acknowledged. The market has changed and it's harder. But are teams are not more skilled. The same teams, that could achieve in the old world are failing in this one. And the last message anyone wants, is we need to spend some money to solve that. "That's your job isn't it?" cries the leadership to time-starved managers and leaders. Anyone want to guess what's going to happen to sales manager average tenure (already at an all-time low of 18 months)????

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Unlock the Secrets of Salesforce's GTM Success! Ever wondered how Salesforce sets up its sales organisation for success? Join us for an exclusive webinar where we'll spill the beans on our GTM planning strategies. Gain insights into: - The winning formula behind our sales organisation design - Leveraging Salesforce Cloud tech from planning to execution - Proven GTM strategies for accelerated growth Don't miss out on this golden opportunity! Register now to learn from the best. #Salesforce #SPM #Salesforce

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Discover how New Zealand Rugby partnered with SAP SuccessFactors to transform their HR operations, streamline processes, and empower their teams, ensuring a legacy of excellence both on and off the field.

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Is your customer service ready for a transformation? 🚀 Discover how Saks Fifth Avenue revolutionised their customer experience with Agentforce! Join us Wednesday 30th October for an exclusive virtual event on Salesforce+. Learn how Agentforce is redefining customer engagement and how you can harness its power to elevate your own customer interactions. Don't miss out—secure your spot now! 👉 https://lnkd.in/gnfCpQix

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Sean’s Sales Tip 🚫 Focusing solely on increasing the pipeline to meet sales quotas is a misguided strategy. It is akin to saying I will risk $300 in the slot machine, instead of $200 to make a win. 🔔 Salesforce's recent decision to require 3x pipeline coverage, up from 2x, rang the alarm bells for me. 💸 Such an increase demands significant effort and resources, leading to a dramatic rise in customer acquisition costs (CAC) and other bid related costs without guaranteeing an equivalent increase in revenue. 🤔 Think about the optics of this announcement. You are saying to your sales teams it is OK to lose 66% of your deals now, instead of 50%. 🎯 The emphasis should shift from maximizing pipeline to optimizing win rates and accelerating deal velocity. Step 1 🏆 Improve Win Rates Improving win rates is a more efficient and cost-effective approach to achieving sales targets. For instance, a modest increase in win rates from 20% to 25% can yield substantial revenue gains with no extra pipeline required. Step 2 🚀 Accelerate deal velocity To enhance deal velocity (and also win rates), salespeople need to focus on creating pain, recruiting, and equipping champions within the client organization so that your deal gets done and becomes a priority. 💡 Prioritizing win rates and deal velocity over pipeline growth is a smarter and more sustainable strategy for achieving sales quotas. This means that Sales Leaders need to be trained in how to coach their teams effectively and for them to get out of the office more often.

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𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗶𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹 In this clip from my recent visit to Pree Sarker's The High Performance Sales Leader podcast, I reminisce about anxious Sunday nights at Siebel Systems in the early 2000s and talk a little about dealing with poor forecasting capability in a sales team.  When it comes to salespeople’s ability to accurately forecast, there is a wide variation in ability.  I would say that most sales people think forecasting is the manager’s job. Poor forecasting “culture” in a sales team places a large burden on that team’s leader. They are tasked with taking the widely varied, typically anecdotal information they receive from below, making judgements about risk and probability and deriving a forecast they hope is accurate.  To solve for this, you need to build (1) forecasting accountability and (2) forecasting skills at the rep level. The good news is - better forecasters are also better sellers, so you can lift accuracy and performance at the same time.  More on this in a future post! 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 • On YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gV2Kg8ZT • On Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g4aR_5fU

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The countdown is on!! Less than 3 weeks until Qualtrics X4 Sydney... SO EXCITED! 🔥 For people teams, the session by Dr Jim Kirkpatrick is a must attend!! Dr. Jim Kirkpatrick, is a renowned expert in the field of learning and development. He is widely known for his work on the Kirkpatrick Model, which is considered one of the most influential frameworks for evaluating the effectiveness of training programs. The Kirkpatrick Model, initially developed by his father, Dr. Donald Kirkpatrick, assesses training programs across four levels: Reaction: Measures how participants respond to the training (e.g., satisfaction and engagement). Learning: Assesses the extent to which participants have acquired the intended knowledge, skills, or attitudes. Behavior: Evaluates the degree to which participants apply what they learned during training when they are back on the job. Results: Examines the tangible outcomes of the training, such as improved performance, increased productivity, and overall business results. Jim Kirkpatrick, along with his wife Wendy, has built upon and expanded the original model to include new insights and methods for making training and development efforts more effective and aligned with organisational goals. They co-authored several books and developed resources and programs to help businesses and educational institutions apply the Kirkpatrick Model in practical and impactful ways. The work of Jim Kirkpatrick has had a significant impact on the field of human resources, organisational development, and instructional design, helping organisations maximise the return on investment (ROI) for their training and development initiatives. Spots are filling up fast so RUN... don't walk: https://lnkd.in/d2zmNyED #changemanagment #orgdevelopment #employeeexperience #qualtrics #experiencemanagement

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Lion Australia celebrates the success of enhanced trade promotions! With a rich history dating back to the mid-1800s, Lion stands out as a top provider of beverages in Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. The company's commitment to building strong customer relationships drives its success in the industry. Investing millions annually in trade promotions, Lion ensures that retailers receive discounts and bonuses for promoting its products. Recognizing the value of tailored promotions, Lion offers each customer a unique and ever-evolving portfolio of promotions. Managing trade promotions is key, and Lion's transition to Anaplan from spreadsheets has proven to be a game-changer. Initially adopted as an interim solution, Anaplan outperformed expectations when compared to the permanent solution originally chosen by Lion. Not only did Anaplan reduce TPM claim-processing errors by 1.5%, but it also showcased greater flexibility and efficiency for Lion. As a result, Lion has embraced Anaplan as its strategic TPM solution, paving the way for continued success in the beverage industry. #LionAustralia #TradePromotions #planwithAnaplan

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💡 22% - Sellers with strong leadership support achieve 22% higher quota attainment [6sense, BDR Benchmark Report] ⏩ 2X - Companies leveraging AI-driven account prioritisation experience up to twice the sales velocity: deals close faster and at significantly higher conversion rates. [6sense, Annual Report] 🚀 $66M - Implementing an AI-based revenue strategy helped clients like Marathon Health generate $66M in new pipeline, unlocking quality leads and faster revenue growth. [6sense, 2023 Case Study] Discover how improved data and AI can significantly boost efficiency and ROI: https://okt.to/RkejuP

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The Quoting Struggle is Real 😩 Let’s be real—how often have you had to tweak a quote manually because your CPQ just didn’t get it right? For Account Executives, quoting should be fast, flexible, and focused on the customer. But with most CPQs, it’s anything but. These tools are often too rigid, forcing you into templates and workflows that don’t reflect the actual deal you’re working on. And when quoting becomes a headache, deals slip through the cracks. It’s time to bring the focus back to the “Q” in CPQ.

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Automation can help your employees simplify and streamline their workload. In our 14th Annual Pulse of Talent regional spotlight, we determined that employees in ANZ are ready to unlock the value of AI at work. Learn more:

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Sales reps spend just 20% of their time on the phone selling to prospective customers. New innovations from @Salesforce are designed to help sellers: ✅ generate call summaries ✅ identify actionable insights directly from their teams’ calls ✅ accelerate call preparation and follow-up through automated agendas and to-do lists Learn more:

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Sales is hard, retaining Customers is hard. The good news is its easier to control the chaos if you have a system that is centrally managing, governing, personalising, tracking buyer engagement and revenue performance of your content. #SalesEnablement can help you transform the behaviour of your GTM teams. Product keynote underway at our London event. #SeismicEnablementCloud #SeismicCityTours #AI

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