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Clarity

Steve Coltman

Paris

20 Years High Tech Partner, Channel & Alliances experience.
Always in commercial roles in EMEA. Growing businesses from $50K to $5M.
Experience & knowledge from different perspectives: vendor, distributor, reseller, sales agent, system integrator and consultancy.

$3.33/min

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20 Reviews

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Start-ups Sales Management Strategic Partnerships Strategy Development Channel Channel Partners People Management Alliances Channel Management

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I Will Give You Advice on How to Increase Revenue Through Partnerships

20 years experience in partnership and alliances. Having worked for vendors, system integrators, resellers and sales agencies; I have the knowledge and experience in how to successfully grow business through partners and alliances.

Answers 28
Reviews 20

Answers

Steve Coltman answered

What is the best way to become great at sales? Are there any courses or books for first time CEO's?

"How to Win Friends and Influence People". Written by Dale Carnegie. (also available as an audiobook)

More of a sales philosophy.

I tend to be very skeptical towards sales books that seem to hold the perfect answer for any given situation.

Hope this helps

Steve

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Sales

Steve Coltman answered

What is the best sales process?

Easy!

It does not exist.

If anyone answers this question with a definite answer, I would run a mile.

my 2 cents.

Steve

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Sales

Sales Management

Sales Process

Steve Coltman answered

Im part of startup trying to launch a medical device in the veterinary market. We're trying to sort out our GTM strategy and need someone to talk to.

Hi there,

Well, you are focused and you know where you are going. That is already a very good start.
Did you ask your customers (or potential customers) what they want?

I always found the best way to start is to write a questionnaire (worth investing the time in doing a proper one) and then call your contacts so they can answer your questionnaire.

Tell them you will share the results with them (and do share the results).

In short, make sure your customers are part of your GTM strategy.

Hope it helps

Steve

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Go-to-market Strategy

Start-ups

Marketing Strategy

Steve Coltman answered

How do you create work-life balance?

I think Vincent nailed it. I would go with that.

Steve

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Business Coaching

Entrepreneurship

Productivity

Steve Coltman answered

How do you create demand for a product that does not yet exist?

Great answers from Jeff, Kevin & Thomas.

Solution selling cannot exist if there were not problems in the first place.

PS: do not create the problem, find the problem.

Hope this helps

Steve

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Marketing Strategy

Steve Coltman answered

Our best referrals come from small IT service companies. I want to come up with an incentive for them to refer us to their clients.

First of all, what problem are you solving for them? Why are they referring you?
This is really powerful stuff. This is better than a buzz.
If you incentives them, then they are no longer referring you, they are selling you.

Do you really want to loose that?

Seriously, it sounds like you are doing great!

Steve

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Business Development

Small Business Development

New Business Development

Steve Coltman answered

What's your best advice for moving forward/taking action in spite of paralyzing perfectionist tendencies?

“The maxim "Nothing but perfection" may be spelled "Paralysis”
Quote from Winston Churchill.

My solution would be deadlines. Once you reached the deadline, you launch what you have at that given time.

It worked for Apple.

Hope this helps

Steve

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Business Strategy

Steve Coltman answered

Startup Looking To Hire First Sales Employee - And completely lost. Any advice on compensation structure (benefits?), items that need to be in place?

The fact that you ask the question, you are already half way there.

Here are a few steps I advise my customers to take:

1. Find the three core values all three founders share (easier said then done).
2. When recruiting, look for a sales person who shares those values.
3. Make sure the compensation plan rewards those values.
4. Train one of your founders to become a sales manager
5. Agree what target is non acceptable, acceptable, & realistic (again, easier said then done).
6. 100% commission for reaching the realistic target, 110% for over achieving, 70% for reaching the acceptable target & 0% for anything below.
7. Last but not least, have a 2 year career path in place.

Hope this helps.

PS: hiring and firing sales people will not only cost you time & money, it will also damage your brand.

Steve

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Sales Process

Sales Management

Sales Operations

Steve Coltman answered

What does a business development role entail when it comes to hiring?

It is a bit difficult to answer without having the entire picture, but I will try my best.

If you are growing, then yes, you should definitely hire a business developer (biz dev), that can grow into a biz dev Director.

Generally, they tend to be sociable and driven by success.

I would look for a person that has a point to prove, they are difficult to manage but their drive is second to none.

Hope this helps

Steve

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Business Development

Business Growth

Strategic Hiring

Steve Coltman answered

What are the possibilities to make a business if I decide to publish my software as Open Source? How can I test if a business model works for me?

Fully agree with Dan.

The most important question is: could you build a community around your software?

Which, by the way, will no longer be your software.

Hope this helps

PS: I am currently selling Open Source Software (OSS) and the key is to be competing with proprietary software (not other OSS companies)

Steve

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Open Source Software

Steve Coltman answered

There is a person working with you who has great skills but doesn't fit the culture, how far would you go with trying to help this person to change?

Very dangerous question, so thank you for asking it.

Is the culture based on well defined values and set in stone?

Could that person work solo?

Letting that person go is dangerous as you would not be rewarding great skill sets.

Keeping that person is dangerous as you would threaten your company values (for me, culture is founded on values)

Here is the catch: Keep that person and maintain your company values... and you become a GREAT leader.

I hope you go for GREATNESS.

Again, thank you for asking the question.

Steve

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Company Culture

Culture Building

Team Management

Reviews

Steve was incredibly knowledgable and showed great experience when brainstorming various solutions to my challenges. Also crucially he had worked hard to understand my situation up front so we were able to focus on the need in hand.

Jonathan Kidd Source: Clarity

I had a great working relationship with Steve and was sorry to see him move on. I have the utmost respect for his sales abilities; and his open and engaging way of doing business allowed us to strategise effectively together on overcoming the challenges faced in the marketplace. I would be happy to recommend Steve in any new endevour as I am sure he will be a success at whatever he sets out to achieve.

Ross Hargreaves Source: LinkedIn

I met Steve during my time at Landis ICT Group.
Steve was our contact person for Cobalt Systems.

Steve is very loyal and honorable guy. Has good technical and commercial knowledge and know how to push the wright buttons to get something done.

If you start doing business with Steve, you know what I mean

Robin van Dijk Source: LinkedIn

Steve worked for m whilst at Cobalt and he was an excellent business development manager. Amongst other accounts he looked after our one and only Pan-European distributor and enabled them to grow their buisness significantly. I would heartedly recommend him.

John Fleming Source: LinkedIn

As Sales Manager at Dupaco distribution, I worked with Steve for a few years. Steve is a good business developer. He has great presentation skills and is a reliable partner.

Laurens ten Hagen Source: LinkedIn

Steve is a brilliant commercial manager. He pushes his team, his co-workers and even his customers (!) in meeting their targets, while managing realistic expectations with all parties involved. He has the talent to genuinely inspire and motivate, while staying sharp and analytical. Most importantly, Steve has proven to be a highly reliable business partner.

Paul Hissink Source: LinkedIn

I worked with Steve at Revolution Internet. He is a walking master class in European Channel strategy and is probably the best guy I have ever worked with in this area.
He is a rare gem who has so many impressive attributes it is impossible to list here.

Tim Harrisson Source: LinkedIn

Steve has incredible insight, determination, and an uncanny ability to get results. His skillset and experience have proven to be invaluable for our European sales efforts. I would recommend Steve as a key member for any sales team.

Zach Smith Source: LinkedIn

Steve is a true entrepreneur. When the going get's tough, you can rely on Steve to bring his creativity and experience into the game. It's a great pleasure to work with him. Besides that, he's a great guy to drink a pint with!

Marco Plas Source: LinkedIn

Steve, is a rare combination of acute business acumen, singular drive and infectious company. Steve can get into new markets, challenging deals, and exciting times :-) Steve a confident, competent self-starter, and a an asset to any hungry tech business.

Nicholas White Source: LinkedIn

Steve is an energetic self driven sales and business development manager that generates and builds on great ideas to achieve excellent results. He is focused and clear on his objectives and achieves them

Steve Furniss Source: LinkedIn

Member since September 2013