CEO

Having worked directly with well over 60 CEOs during just the past two years, Dave has a unique background that enables him to get to the heart of sales- and marketing-related issues quickly. 

Here are some of the questions that Dave hears and to which he is able to provide answers:

• Is my VP of Sales the right person for the job?

• Precisely why aren't we able to deliver the revenues we have committed to?

• Is our approach to market correct?

• How can we compete more effectively?

• How can I instill more of a sales culture within my organization?

• How can I get marketing and sales to work more effectively together?

• Are the sales processes we are employing the right ones?

• How can I personally be more effective in contributing to the sales effort? Where and how should I be contributing?

• How can I prevent our margins from slipping away though discounting?

• Can you help me hire a VP of Sales who can get the job done?

• How can I improve how industry analysts view my company?

• Will you work with my sales team on a very critical deal we must win?

What's Dave's value to the CEO?  He will prescribe what it takes to grow their revenue streams and make that revenue more predictable. 

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CFO

As a board member of a public company, Dave understands the job, responsibilities, and accountabilities of the CFO.

Here are some of the questions asked of Dave by CFOs over the years to which Dave has provided the right answers:

• Can I believe the current sales forecast?  Why are we having so much trouble accurately forecasting deals?

• How much business is really out there there over the next four quarters?  Will we meet our revenue budget numbers for the year?

• Are we investing appropriately in sales and marketing for the size company we are?

• How can I help my VP of Sales to stop his dramatic end-of-quarter discounting?

• Can you tell me why we are really losing so many deals?

• How can I and my finance team contribute to the sales effort?

What's Dave's value to the CFO?  He will provide, among other things, an educated, impartial assessment of their company's sales pipeline and forecast.  He can provide insight into whether sales are really lost on price, features, or whether your salespeople are getting outsold.

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Venture Capitalist

Dave began working with venture capitalists back in 1986 when Venrock Associates made a substantial investment in a company in which he was a principal.  Dave assists investors in assessing the sales capabilities of companies seeking funding. 

Here are the types of questions Dave has answered:

• Can I believe their current sales forecast?

• How much business is there really out there over the next four quarters?

• Are the current sales and marketing executives the right people for the job?

• Do they have the right processes in place to scale sales?

• Is the current sales team able to deliver what is promised by management going forward?

• How effective are this company's competitors? Will they prevent the management team from growing the business as specified in the business plan?

• What internal and external sales- and marketing-related inhibitors are present that will prevent me from achieving my desired return on investment?

• What has to be done to make sales performance more consistent?

What's Dave's value to the investor?  Dave provides an educated, impartial assessment of the company's sales (and marketing) capabilities.  Dave can make a dramatic impact on the focus of the portfolio company's CEO -- away from product features, toward improvement of their customer's business.

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VP of Sales

Having been a successful VP of Sales as well as coach for some of the best, Dave provides questions, answers, insights, experience, contacts, resources, and leadership. 

Dave's involvement with Sales VPs provides answers to these types of questions:

• "Between you and me, Dave, do I have what it takes to be successful in this job?"

• How can I best organize my sales team to leverage their capabilities and cover the territories?  Vertically, by geography, by named accounts, by size, by new versus existing customers?

• How do I buffer my team from the pressures from the executives above me?

• I've invested a fortune in sales training from one of the big vendors and can't get the salespeople to use the processes and forms.  Can you help?

• My people always seem to need me to close deals. What's going on?

• How do I get marketing to understand what I need and to deliver on it?

• How do I get my people trained with only a small budget?

• How do I get a leg up on a competitor who has been winning 80% of the time against us?

• How best can I coach members of my team in areas where they need help?

• How can I get the respect of the superstars on my team?

• Can you tell me why so many deals slip?

• I need to hire great reps.  What's the best way to do that?

• Can you help me re-engineer the compensation plan for my reps?

• What forecasting methodology is best for me?

• Will you work with my sales team on a very critical deal we must win?

What's Dave's value to the VP of Sales?  Dave diagnoses impediments to sales effectiveness and recommends strategies, tactics, processes, and behaviors, all leading to more consistent sales execution.

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VP of Marketing

Having been a successful VP of Marketing and being actively involved with several companies in that role on an interim basis, Dave provides questions, answers, insights, experience, contacts, resources, and leadership. 

Dave provides answers to these and many other questions:

• The VP of Sales and I can't seem to work together effectively.  Can you help?

• How do I prioritize what's on my plate so I can make the maximum contribution to my company's success?

• What does the sales team really need to be successful?

• What is the best way for me to generate qualified leads for the sales team?

• What should I expect from sales regarding feedback on the leads we provide?

• What should my strategy be regarding media relations, analyst relations, partnerships, etc.?

• Are my company's messages and value propositions right for our market?

• How do I best work with engineering to make sure they are building what our market will need?

• Can you help me figure out why we lose so many deals?

What's the value to the VP of Marketing?  Dave will provide specific recommendations, and in some cases, hands-on assistance that will lead to the company selling more, more often, for more money.

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Salesrep

Dave has taught, mentored, coached, and managed tens of thousands of reps over the years.

Through his books, articles, presentations, personal coaching, mentoring, and seminars he has provided answers to these questions:

• "Between you and me, Dave, do I have what it takes to be successful in this job?"

• How do I get access to the "C" level executives in my prospect's organizations?

• What are the best ways for me to generate leads?  Exactly how should I do that?

• How can I best prioritize my time?

• How can I beat a competitor who always slashes their prices to win?

• My company doesn't provide me with a lot of tools or help.  What should I do?

• How can I convince resources within my company to help me win business?

• Will you work with me on a very critical deal I must win?

What's the value to the salesrep?  Assuming they are in the right job, Dave will provide the right balance of education, training, coaching, and mentoring that will enable salesreps to achieve their full potential.

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