I draw your attention to an upcoming Rocket Academy workshop. The Product Launch Workshop .

We have compiled and compressed our best practices for Product Launch into a 1 day seminar. It is for those folks who have the responsibility for a product launch but have never had the formal training for it. Previous recipients of this training from us in private company settings have experienced a five fold increase in pickup and acceleration to their sales cycle compared to previous launches. We have never given this as a public session ever before. ( I confess I was against this as we do get tremendous results ($$$) with it). But I will be away in Argentina.

For this time only in Vancouver Dave and Geoff convinced our friends at the NRC to help(!) with the investment. So with their generous subsidy we can offer to you this information and access to our Product Launch specialists at ~ $200 bucks. This is a true value deal. We have partnered with our good friends at SFU Downtown, who have a great location, but seem to have a little trouble getting their online registration working. So there is still room in the session.

Time and location : March 13, 2008 – Vancouver, B.C. At SFU downtown (Time Centre)

Click Here to Reserve a Seat Now for the March 13 2008 Product Launch Workshop >>

About the Product Launch Workshop

The Product Launch Workshop is a one day program combining instruction and case examples. Designed for technology companies, the program content is based on proven methodologies. As well, the content is designed to provide valuable insight into common challenges faced by companies at the leading edge of technology.

The workshop follows a stepwise process that is documented in workbook that each participant can leave with and use to guide their own development of a launch plan. Both the workshop and the workbook are full of valuable hints and tips that will help technology companies better capitalize on market opportunity.

The program is designed for technology executives and marketers who are responsible for and involved with the product launch process.

You Will Learn

• methods to assess product positioning and marketing messages
• what kinds of promotional methods you can use
• what kinds of marketing collateral are most effective
• how to leverage publicity
• how to budget for a launch event or campaign

Benefits of Product Launch Planning

An effective product launch:

• builds market awareness
• attracts more sales leads
• reduces time-to-revenue

View Workshop Brochure

Attendees Will Leave With

• ideas for promotions
• checklists for marketing collateral inventory
• hints and tips on cost-effective approaches
• step-by-step process and workbook

March 13, 2008 – Vancouver, B.C.

Click Here to Reserve a Seat Now for the March 13 2008 Product Launch Workshop >>

Enjoy the launch session while I will still be in Argentina ( 30 degs again today – invariably sunny too) I ask for no fee in telling you about this great deal. You will just owe me one!

And that’s 30.

The New era of Salesmanship. Bringing the art of selling into the 21st century. Thomas A. Freese. 2005. ISBN1891892207. www.qbsresearch.com.. One quote says it all.

“Teaching salespeople to sound the same as everyone else is the quickest way to commoditize your value proposition and forfeit your competitive advantage. In an increasingly competitive business marketplace, companies are looking for something different that will energize their sales teams, and significantly increase your return on invested sales effort.”

This is a very valuable book. This the third in a series . Secrets of  Question Based Selling  (QBS) , It Only Takes 1% and now this one where he explains how to implement QBS into a sales organization. Why this is so important is that Freese has stated “if your suspects are not curious about what you do” why would they ever:

open your emails?

return or take your call?

engage with your website?

respond to any of your material.?

This is why 99% of all sales materials/approaches/processes are useless. Because they talk about you and your company. But when is a prospect is interested in you?  He is interested in himself and his problems. To make him curious about you, you  need to talk about his problems and earn his curiosity and the right to learn more. want to tes it?  How many emails, voice mails and marketing messages make you curious?  1 in 90? None/  He is onto something

Every serious sales person who wants to earn the big bucks and make it all look so easy, nust read and use this book. Each chapter ends with action items that ar so pragmatic.

Questions for you,” So tell me what client problem(s) does your product solve? ”

Do you have a simple answer that a customer would really care about?

Why are the implications of this(ese) problem(s) ?

Can you find 20?

Why do these matter to the client?

What happens to the business if he does not act?

These questions are the start of Freese’ method. Read the book to find out just what a jewel the book and approach is. Give me a 1% fee on your increased commission and I will be a rich rich man.  Of course if you were content to be just good enough you would not be reading this blog.  As a friend said to me  this week, “What kind of man are you anyway? ” (with all  apologies to the distaff side).

Read Freese’s articles at http://www.qbsresearch.com/articles/index.cfm. I intend to read, and review all his books in short order.  It llooks like you will have to buy the book on his site www.qbsresearch.com.  Bummer, there goes my 20 cents!

And that’s 30