Jul 24, 2023
In this episode of "Customer Conversations, you'll hear Pattie
Grimm, former Senior Director of Sales Enablement Center of
Excellence at VMware.
You'll hear how Pattie solved a business challenge at VMware
through technology, her process for evaluating and selecting sales
enablement tools, and the importance of co-creating solutions with
customers. Pattie emphasizes the need for salespeople to understand
the customer's needs and make them the hero of the story. The
conversation highlights the importance of understanding the
customer's needs and co-creating solutions with them, as well as
the need for salespeople to have a personal touch.
Time stamps below along with the full transcript here.
Business Challenge and Technology Solution [00:02:32]
Patty shares how she solved a business challenge of reinventing
sales methodology and process at VMware through technology.
Eliminating Non-Working Tools [00:04:19]
Patty talks about how they eliminated a ton of non-working tools
used by the sales team at VMware.
Mapping Customer Buying Cycle [00:06:50]
Patty explains how they mapped their sales process to the
customer's buying cycle and used technology to make it easy for
sellers to find what they needed.
Starting with the Business Problem [00:08:34]
Patty explains how she starts with the business problem she is
trying to solve by going out to the field and asking the
salespeople and sales teams what challenges they have and what they
need.
Referrals and Research [00:09:34]
Patty talks about how she goes a lot on referrals and people she
knows and trusts when evaluating different tools and technologies.
She also mentions doing her own research by going to their website
and looking up their customers and value proposition.
Breaking Through to Buyers [00:14:53]
Patty shares what really works and resonates with her when a sales
rep breaks through to her, including bringing new customer
intelligence or insights, building a relationship first, and asking
insightful questions.
Co-creating a Sales Methodology [00:15:43]
Patty discusses the process of co-creating a new sales methodology
with her team and stakeholders, including socializing and vetting
it with RVPS, key leaders, and sales operations.
Blending Sales Frameworks [00:20:02]
Patty talks about blending her sales leadership framework with the
company's model, incorporating their thinking into the existing
model, and socializing it with key stakeholders.
Championing the Project [00:23:30]
Patty was the champion of the project, with an executive sponsor
and buy-in from the executive leadership team. Barbara was her wise
advisor, providing feedback and coaching her gently.
Coaching and Sales Methodology [00:24:23]
Patty discusses the importance of coaching and sales methodology in
enabling sales teams to be more effective.
Selling in a SaaS World [00:25:14]
Patty talks about the challenges of selling in a SaaS world and the
importance of ensuring customers consume what they buy.
Making Customers the Hero [00:28:13]
Patty explains why she wants her sales teams to be the heroes of
the story and how it benefits her in the long run.
The Decision Making Process [00:33:33]
Patty discusses the decision-making process for choosing technology
partners and shares an example of a successful program at
Microsoft.
Co-Creating Solutions with Customers [00:35:45]
Patty talks about the benefits of co-creating solutions with
customers and how it builds buy-in and ownership.
Challenges with IP and Subscription Models [00:38:37]
Patty explains the challenges with intellectual property and
subscription models when evaluating vendors and how it was a
deciding factor in choosing Barbara's solution.
Business Challenges vs Pain Points [00:42:26]
Patty and J discuss the importance of focusing on business
challenges instead of pain points during the sales process.
Importance of Articulating Future State [00:43:26]
J and Patty talk about the significance of sales reps being able to
articulate the future state of a product or service during the
sales process.
Full Life Cycle Customer Engagement [00:47:51]
Patty shares her experience of managing the full life cycle of
customer engagement, from awareness to consideration to post-sale,
and the importance of a smooth handoff between teams.
Three Sales Principles [00:51:20]
Patty shares three sales principles that she has built into every
program she has ever run or every methodology she has ever put in
place or system or tools.
Co-create with the Customer [00:52:08]
Patty talks about the importance of making the customer the hero of
the story and solving their business problem, not yours.
Rapid Fire Five [00:54:35]
J Webb asks Patty five quick questions, including what motivates
her, her most preferred way to learn new information, and her
favorite thing to do when she isn't working.
Goodbye [00:58:11]
J Webb thanks the audience for listening and asks Patty how people
can get in touch with her.
Contact information [00:58:21]
Patty shares her contact information and invites people to reach
out to her through LinkedIn or email.
Closing remarks [00:58:53]
J Webb and Patty say their final goodbyes and the podcast episode
ends.