SalesTechStar Interview with Marco Sanchez, Regional VP of Sales for TBI

What really differentiates what enterprise sales teams should do in order to drive better sales and customer conversations? Marco Sanchez shares some key points in this quick chat:

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Tell us about your journey through the years…we’d love to hear about your time at TBI…

It’s been a wild journey to say the least, as I’ve been with TBI for the last 12 years.  When I started, it was in our omni center, doing outbound phone sales for one of the leading telco providers in our country.  This is where I cut my teeth on sales, learning how to deal with rejection and “perfecting the pitch”.  After a few years, I wanted to get into the Channel community, and be more of a consultant for partners after taking time to learn new technologies and providers.  I spent the next few years supporting various partner types, in driving revenue through solutions that complimented their business, such as network, voice and cloud solutions.  After that, I made the leap into leadership, as one of the biggest things I have found a passion for is coaching and development; and have been doing that for the last five and a half years supporting a team of Channel managers in the Midwest and West region.  Now I have the opportunity to bring in a Director, with my new role as RVP of Sales to continue our growth efforts and go deeper/wider with our partners.

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Can you take us through some of your biggest enterprise sales learnings over the years and also, some of TBI’s core sales strategies (in times of the pandemic) that worked well, that other teams can learn a few things or two from…   

With enterprise sales, it’s really less about sales and more about being an educator, consultant and advisor for customers. Customers are confused and overwhelmed with all the noise, sales/marketing fluff, and everything happening in the industry. It’s more important than ever to stay on top of the latest trends and top providers to give customers direct advice based on their needs and pain points.  With regards to the pandemic, it’s all about engagement and follow up, driving value-added activity.  Don’t just check in with a customer, send the latest podcast on technology or a recent blog relevant to a conversation that you had, create dialogue and share insights.  When recommending solutions/providers, make it specific to how it impacts their business, in regards to total experience – employees, customer, and various departments.

What are some of the core fundamentals that sales leaders need to develop in sales teams today (that you don’t see enough of) in order to build high performing / independent sales teams?  

Have a relentless focus on the fundamentals of relationship building – good follow up, always be prospecting, and proactively reach out with relevant and valuable information.  Also learn to say “no” and walk away from opportunities that aren’t going to be win-win for everyone or are not a core fit for your business.  Saying “no” is really powerful to keep you focused and driving revenue. You do that through a disciplined roadmap for your business and remaining consistent.  During the pandemic, this has been amplified due to the increased demand of people trying to get on your calendar, as no one is traveling and everyone is “available”. 

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Can you share a few thoughts on how you feel today’s leaders in tech (especially those driving revenue / customer facing strategies) need to use technology to stay connected and to suit remote working needs better?  

Leverage software to manage customer relationships, such as a CRM, keep up to date info on your customers and prospects.  Along with that, use platforms such as Zoom or MS Teams to stay connected with your team members and customers.  Have weekly talk sessions as a team, be sure to reach out every week to simply check in and offer assistance; and ensure that time management is being combined with good calendar management (personal and professional).  Honestly, it’s really about staying engaged and creating systems and platforms for doing so, while also maintaining good work/life balance.  Lastly, use tools to measure performance and activity to ensure goals and objectives are being met while also making it easier to track new prospects. 

Can you throw light on some of the salestech / martech solutions that have helped enable your initiatives over the years; some that you still swear by?  

CRMs and data collection tools with customized reporting, sales metrics and funnel management are vital to any sales organization. They enable marketing and sales to work together in building strategic initiatives around targeting, content and campaigning, many times making it easier for sales. Within our organization we utilize NetSuite and HubSpot to keep everything connected and make sure our sales and marketing teams are aligned. Lastly, go build your social network, connect with people in the community virtually, use the message feature instead of email to drive discussions, and share value added content consistently.

A few must-dos that every sales leader in SaaS should follow through 2021?

Get back to basics – stay engaged with team members and customers alike.  Drive awareness around your solution using the various offerings you provide even beyond the technology, such as service, support, management, and maintenance.  Companies are looking for ways to optimize and drive revenue up, so focus on that out of the gate with your messaging. Look for partners that compliment your offering/solution and solve their business challenges, heighten the value the customer gets for win-win partnerships.

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