Why I love Teambox

Just a quick not to anyone still reading this blog. I am in love with Teambox. It is the best software for online collaboration ever. Why?

1. The activity stream makes is super easy to stay on top of teams and projects.

2. The task management is easier than anything I have ever used.

3. @Notifications make it fast and easy to include people in conversations.

4. CONVERT TO TASK! I can take any conversation and make it actionable.

5. Pages are the easiest way to share content EVER!

6. Google docs integration.

The list keeps going, but hey you get the picture. If not here is a cool one:

And this is me telling Scoble about it!

Organization: Focusing on selling activities

One of my favorite sales trainings relates to the understanding of selling vs. non selling activities. It is a common theme and an important skill for high level sales people to master to stay at the top of their game. On ki work, I have listed a 7 part full cycle sales training for startups. The third lesson I give reps relates to this focus. Many wonder why this is so important to outline it in a training to sales evangelists at startups. Well, if there are two things a sales evangelist have to deal with is an abundance of expectations and an even great landscape of unkown opportunity.

So much of this day to day can get lost in non selling activities, for distinctions read this post on selling and non selling activity. It is easy to get lost in the long list of tasks that are outside of selling activites, but in a startup, where so many have to where multiple hats, the sales people on the fornt lines should focus on one. SALES!

If we burden the sales evangelist with non selling activities they will fail. Why? Because they have to work harder at crafting the perfect sales opportunity. They have less resources, fewer customers, no long lasting case studies, no peers, new ideas, and if good interested prospects. So, teach them to focus on the things that make sales and put on a hat and help them with those things that do not. Whether you are their manager or the CEO, take off that ego hat and get your hands dirty. Yes, you can do some of their administrative tasks, yes you can help them with their pipeline, I mean you take out the garbage and clean up the kitchen….right? How much revenue does that bring in?

When I was at Demandforce, one of our failings was not supporting our sales team enough. The person I took the sales team from, then eventaully and willingly gave it back to, had a superiority complex that inhibitied him from really helping his team. He thought my willingness to do so was a weakness. I feel that it is a strength to be willing to help your sales team succeed, no matter what it takes.

So, the next time a rep can lose an hour doing some menial task that will not bear fruit, walk on over and get them back on the phone or out the door. Believe me, they will not only appreciate it in the moment, but when they get that extra sale, also on payday…and so will you.