MUTUAL WINNING: Following Customer and Partner Cues with Paul Ford

Today's episode has our host Barrett King in the passengers seat as Ben Wright interviews him on the "Stronger Sales Teams with Ben Wright" podcast.

Original shownotes: 

n this episode, guest Barrett King discusses the importance of training in B2B sales and how it contributes to revenue growth. He emphasises the need for a comprehensive and ongoing training program that includes diverse learning modalities. Barrett also highlights the value of peer-to-peer learning and the role of subject matter experts in training. He encourages individuals to be students of the problem and turn creativity into an advantage.

About the Guest:

Barrett King is an experienced leader in the B2B SaaS industry with over ten years of experience in building partnerships and executing go-to-market strategies. He has worked at HubSpot and is currently a part of New Breed, one of HubSpot's top partners. Barrett is skilled in identifying and cultivating new business opportunities and driving revenue growth.

Key Takeaways:

Training should be cumulative and ongoing, with a focus on knowledge transfer and skill development.

Diverse learning modalities, such as written, verbal, and video formats, should be used in training programs.

Peer-to-peer learning and feedback sessions are essential for reinforcing knowledge and skills.

Being a student of the problem and continuously learning contributes to personal and professional growth.

Effective training programs empower individuals to share their knowledge and become subject matter experts.

Download Hubspot x Surfe's '51 Tips for Social Selling on LinkedIn and Beyond'

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro

1:33 Guest Introduction

2:38 New Breed

6:36 Saas

8:57 Effective Training Program

13:52 Learning Modalities

17:20 Training to Revenue Growth

20:00 The Student of The Problem

23:36 Guest Socials

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Today's episode has our host Barrett King in the passengers seat as Ian Selbie interviews him on the "Confessions of a Sales Pro" podcast.

Description of the show:

Why is it the same repetitive mistakes continue to rob salespeople of more commission cheques? Ian Selbie achieved the accolade of top salesperson in the world at Apple and in this Podcast he will discuss how he overcame the problems encountered during his sales career and gives the benefit of his wisdom to everyone listening who work in the world of sales, helping you reach new levels of sales success. Less sins, more wins. For more information contact Ian Selbie via email: ian@ianselbie.com or go to www.SalesMentorU.com for more information.

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here - https://refer.partnershipleaders.com/barrett5 

This episode welcomes Jakub Zajicek, Founder of PartnerOutreach.io - a platform that allows you to invite your future partners to co-create content with you and 5–10X your replies.

For Jakub, partnerships mean two companies joining forces to find ways to make their customers more satisfied and successful.

Jakub’s approach to cultivating partnerships in a fresh way is to enable those who seek new partners to build relationships through content collaboration. People love being featured in others' content due to the free marketing it provides, so they’re much more likely to respond and start the relationship on the right track.

To enable your content collaboration journey, the best way to start is by asking yourself “how can I involve potential partners in our already existing marketing efforts?”. The next step is to identify what channels you already use and aim to not reinvent the wheel. Just because shooting videos is trendy doesn’t mean you should focus on it if you’ve never done it before. 

Tune in to learn more about how you can take a fresh approach to building partnerships!

INSIGHTS FOR BETTER OUTCOMES

Jakub: ”The first step is partner strategy, then there’s partner acquisition - you can break it down to outreach, prospecting and so on. Then there’s partner onboarding. I sit exactly in that partner acquisition/outreach part. Let’s say you already know who you want to reach, maybe you even have a list and you need a creative way to reach this very finite list of prospects. The question is how do you do it without burning through the list. The way you do it is you identify what type of content you could involve decision makers from these companies in. So let’s say that your marketing team is writing an article on how to do event attribution - what you could do is reach out to event platforms and their CEO’s/CMO’s and ask for their opinions”
 

You can find more about Jakub and his work through the links below:

LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubzajicek/

Check out PartnerOutreach:

https://partneroutreach.io

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here - https://refer.partnershipleaders.com/barrett5

This episode welcomes Rob Spee, SVP of Global Partner Ecosystems at BeyondTrust -  the worldwide leader in Privileged Access Management (PAM), empowering organizations to secure and manage their entire universe of privileges.

For Rob, partnerships used to mean gaining leverage and scale, but recently his view has changed to partnerships enabling growth and innovation.

At BeyondTrust, the partner ecosystem is their go-to-market ace. The partners in their network are highly influential in driving buying decisions for their clients, as in cybersecurity customer success and adoption are crucial.

In Rob’s field, partnerships aren’t just a part of their revenue model. Partnerships enable something much bigger - product innovation for the whole ecosystem. Currently Rob’s ecosystem has 10 partners that are the top innovators, but they’re in the process of expanding.

Tune in to learn more about what partnerships means in cybersecurity!
 

INSIGHTS FOR BETTER OUTCOMES

Rob: “It’s two things - it’s integration and innovation. For customers there’s something called the zero trust journey that customers go on to get to zero trust, and that involves not only our products but other products. Our integrations with other technology vendor products are huge for customers' ability to secure their organization. They don’t typically do it with just BeyondTrust, there’s other solutions out there that they need to protect themselves. Our integration with all those vendors is hugely important but also with new products that we’re rolling out, that creates innovation opportunities for our partners”

You can find more about Rob and his work through the links below:

LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertspee/

Check out BeyondTrust:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondtrust/

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here

This episode welcomes Will Taylor, Head of Nearbound Partnerships at Reveal -  a free platform for Partnership, Marketing, and Sales teams to generate revenue through their ecosystem.

For Will, partnerships means enhancing the core value for clients above all. In the current climate of the tech world that has unprecedented amounts of choice, picking the right vendors is harder than ever. By growing your circle of trust with the right partners, you can develop win-win opportunities and take out a lot of the guesswork that goes into finding the right solution.

Barrett and Will discuss the importance of empowering others through solid and well made frameworks which enable streamlined communication between parties. Will has always seen things through the eyes of a seller. Sellers don’t want to use marketing collateral because more often than not it’s built using marketing language, which doesn’t do much to move the needle during a sales process.

Check out the full episode to learn more on how to improve your process and communication!
 

INSIGHTS FOR BETTER OUTCOMES

Will:”I was working with a partner and they were reaching out to our CSM’s and they said “ahh, the CSM’s are not really engaging” and I said instead of me going to the CSM and saying “hey you have to engage with our partner”, I said “hey partner, how are you asking the question”, and they said “would you be comfortable making this introduction” and I said - there it is. Would I be comfortable making this introduction? I’m gonna think of all the ways I wouldn’t be comfortable because I’m having to figure out this feeling which is ambiguous, so I'm thinking how would I write that? I don’t know. Do I feel good today? Maybe tomorrow I’ll feel comfortable about it? It’s very ambiguous and it’s not clear what the action is. The language is simple to understand but the actual action and the next step is not clear so I said “hey, change your ask to “can you make an introduction? here’s some brief information as to why and oh, by the way, here’s an email you can send” they said “great let me try that”, did it over the next 2 weeks and it was a night and day difference”
 

You can find more about Will and his work through the links below:

LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vvilltaylor/

Check out Reveal:

https://reveal.co/partnership-team?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=linkedin-page-cta

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here

Today’s conversation defines partnerships as a mutual winning scenario where all involved parties achieve their desired outcomes. Understanding each partner's goals and ensuring alignment like a Venn diagram fosters success for collaborators.

Paul shares his early observations and challenges. The guest highlights the importance of company-wide support for partnership initiatives.

He stresses the significance of gaining commitment from various internal departments like sales, marketing, product, and customer success.

The guest also highlights key takeaways and recommendations from his experience:

Align partner strategies with customer and market demands.

Be flexible, open-minded, and willing to adapt strategies based on partner and customer feedback.

Focus on quality over quantity when selecting partners to develop deep and impactful relationships.

Tune into the full episode to learn navigating partnerships both internally and externally!

INSIGHTS FOR BETTER OUTCOMES

Paul:”There's two areas to look, internal and external. I'll start with internal first. Go talk to your sales lead, whether it's a CRO, VP of sales, I went and talked to them about their view. Go talk to your marketing leader. Ask how have they worked with them before. What's working, what's not? It seems simple, but just asking those simple questions will give you tons of insights that you might not have otherwise had. Go talk to a couple of reps too. Learn from their experience with partners. What worked, what didn't? Externally you're doing the same thing. I still am engaging with our current partners, but I sat in on a lot of the new partners we were trying to recruit and listen to those conversations and what they're looking for and how they engage with other partners and what's been successful with other partners in a similar vein.”

You can find more about Paul and his work through the links below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulford13

Elevate your data stack with CARTO’s spacial analytics: 

Location Intelligence & GIS for Cloud Natives | CARTO

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here:

Apply to Join Partnership Leaders - Partnerships community

Today’s discussion highlights the deliberate approach needed for partner selection, testing, and scaling, making an emphasis on the importance of alignment between partners' needs and customer focus.

While developing a partnership program for Jasper, Al drew insights from interactions with customer success teams, identifying gaps where partners could complement existing services. The guest emphasized the importance of replicating successful direct-side blueprints to guide the initial engagement with partners. However, Al warns against setting overly ambitious partnership goals early on, noting that partnerships take time to yield substantial returns. Al compares the process to planting a seed that grows into a fruitful tree over time.

Al mentions the challenges which he has encountered in the generative AI space, citing the need to help partners to better understand and navigate the evolving landscape. He describes the three core components for service providers in the generative AI space: defining AI-powered service components, focusing on brand voice, and reinvesting gains for growth.

Additionally, Al mentions the significance of measuring success through partner-led customer wins, understanding partner evolution in adopting AI, and emphasizing the strategic advantages for service providers embracing generative AI.

Tune into the full episode to learn about the growing impact of AI on partnerships!

INSIGHTS FOR BETTER OUTCOMES

Al:”With partnerships, you plant an apple seed and you get a tree in about a year with a bunch of fruit. So the return is not that quick, you're not getting the apple right away. But if you nurture it and you work on it, it will deliver outsized returns down the road. So I think that always having that frame of mind and working with cross-functional teams is key for getting off the ground to set those right expectations.

Partner programs just take time, you need to find the value proposition. You need to understand how it's going to align with your existing go-to-market team so there's no channel conflict. You need to test and iterate and get those wins and then start to scale.”

You can find more about Al and his work through the links below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecbiedrzycki/

Become an AI-powered team with Jasper: https://www.jasper.ai/free-trial

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here:

https://refer.partnershipleaders.com/barrett5

Today’s episode begins by addressing the challenges that arise when partner programs expand beyond 100 but remain under 500 partners. Tristan explores strategies for managing this growth, focusing on tiering models and customer-oriented alignment. Tiering, provides structure and motivation for partners, but Tristan emphasizes its fluidity, allowing partners to shift based on changing business needs.

When discussing active partners, Tristan identifies three key motivators: product satisfaction, results achievement, and commission structures. He tailors messaging and communication strategies according to the partner types. Utilizing project management tools and automation, Tristan efficiently manages partner outreach.

The guest also emphasizes the balance between data-backed and artful approaches in partner management. Tristan's success lies in combining science and human communication to build effective partner programs. 

Tune into the full episode to adapt a tiered partnership approach!

INSIGHTS FOR BETTER OUTCOMES

Tristan:”The first goal that I had when I came into the business was growing partner count. Around 50% of the partners at the time were inactive, so the first thing I did was try to reach out to them first. It is difficult to do as they are inactive for a reason, for example they had to adjust business priorities. So I moved on to active partners to figure out their motivation and to understand why they are doing well in the partner program. The key factor turned out happiness with the product as it would get them results by bringing the product to customers. Additionally, for the small, independent partners such as interim recruiters and freelancers it was the commissions. This helped to create profiles for different types of partners and understand how to target them with communication.”

You can find more about Tristran and his work through the links below:

LinkedIn: https://nl.linkedin.com/in/tristandekooker

Boost your sourcing and automate your hiring with Recruitee: https://recruitee.com

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here:

https://refer.partnershipleaders.com/barrett5

Fostering trust with clients through consistent honesty, listening, and fair dealings is crucial. Tailoring your approach, seeking feedback, and staying organized in meetings, especially during QBRs, is vital. Understanding the essence of growth and aligning with partners' priorities is key. Leaders should encourage a culture that allows for failure and invest in training future leaders. Being open-minded and humble while maintaining confidence in your abilities is a recipe for effective leadership.

When it comes to QBRs, the guest warns against waiting until the last minute to prepare. Documenting important points as they arise helps to be well-prepared when a presentation is needed, whether realizing the great wins or uncovering room for improvement..

When setting corporate goals, it's important to understand what growth means for your business and how to ensure it's incremental and adds value. Partners have their own priorities, while the sales have their own motivation. Leading your team effectively is essential for success, but it's also vital to be reflective and open to change.

Karl spends a lot of time training future leaders, from early-career managers to vice president levels. He insists that mentorship programs can be valuable for coaching them. To be an effective leader, remain humble, listen actively, and be open to different perspectives. Have confidence in your abilities, but avoid assuming your blueprint is always the right one.

Insights for better outcomes:
Karl:” When you set your corporate goals, people say:”Oh, we wanna drive growth.” But what's growth? And how do you ensure that the growth that you're bringing is really going to be incremental and add value to what your business goals are? And then from a partner standpoint, sitting down and understanding what's important to them, that is another way of saying the value tree, right?

What's really important to them and how do they drive their business? And then for your team, it's that you're leading. How do you lead them to success? I want to be transparent and vulnerable. So again I focus on bringing value to the team and meeting their needs. Being a servant leader for all three constituencies, listening and being vulnerable, growing.”

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-soderlund/

You can find more about Karl here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-soderlund/

Accelerate your business transformation with Zscaler: https://www.zscaler.com/custom-product-demo

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here:

https://refer.partnershipleaders.com/barrett5

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I started this podcast - and I couldn’t be more grateful for the journey so far and more excited for the road ahead.

As of August of this year, I am no longer a part of the HubSpot team. I decided to take my GTM experience and join one of HubSpot’s top partners - New Breed - as their Sr. Director of Revenue. 

I believe that partnerships go beyond the bottom line and at its core it's about people helping people, so I made the decision to go from being part of a software vendor to being on the service side. I’m super eager to take this step towards something that’s new to me.

The core of this show is not changing in Season 3 - but there are some format changes coming.

Instead of splitting our episodes in 2 parts, we’ll be releasing the full conversation once a week.

Also, there’s a new style of clips that I’m very excited to release on social media so you can get a good teaser for the conversations ahead!

So without further ado - welcome to season 3!!

If you love listening to Outcomes, please subscribe, share, and send us your feedback.

LinkedIn (Barrett) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettjking/
New Breed - https://www.newbreedrevenue.com

This show is about capturing the stories, experiences, and tactical advice of those across partnerships who have done the work and have something to say about it.

"Outcomes" - where Partnerships and SaaS meet!"

Join Partnerships Leaders here:

https://refer.partnershipleaders.com/barrett5