Four Tips For Encouraging Government Agencies To Join The Cloud

Submitted by Samantha Allen on August 28, 2014, 2:32 pm EDT

As government agencies continue to look to cloud or hybrid cloud models to store and use copious amounts of data, VARs are working to help them catch up. But with this fairly new technology, there are some trepidations in making that transition.

How To Win In 'Green' IT

Submitted by Heather Clancy on August 28, 2014, 2:30 pm EDT

One oft-cited selling point just two years ago was green IT, a trend largely stoked by the rise of various energy-efficiency certifications like Energy Star and the government's interest in materials rating systems including the EPEAT registry.

These days, it's difficult to find a solution provider willing to talk about its green focus. But if you look deeper, you'll discover there's money to be made and good will to be earned by embedding these concerns more deeply into customer conversations.

6 Things To Consider For A Small-Room Presentation

Submitted by Heather Clancy on August 25, 2014, 4:20 pm EDT

If you're using the same presentation materials and approach in front of a small audience that you do when you're working a much larger room (like for a keynote speech), you're probably going about things the wrong way.

Slideshow: Top 5 Ways To 'Just Win!'

Submitted by Samantha Allen on August 21, 2014, 2:45 pm EDT

Holly Green, CEO and managing director of The Human Factor and author of "More Than a Minute: How to be an Effective Leader and Manager in Today's Changing World," handed out some advice to solution providers at the recent XChange 2014 conference this week.

XChange 2014: Customer Experience Is The 'Ultimate Opportunity' For Solution Providers

Submitted by Sarah Kuranda on August 17, 2014, 6:45 pm EDT

When Staples, Office Max and Office Depot approached the market with nearly identical product offerings, logos and low customer loyalty around eight years ago, they recognized that they needed a change to stand out, Joseph Michelli, consultant at The Michelli Experience and best-selling author, said.

Q&A: Bruce Temkin On How To Create And Maintain Customer Loyalty

Submitted by Matt Brown on August 11, 2014, 2:01 pm EDT

Leading provider of this, globally recognized in that. These platitudes are fine for your web site, but if you're honest, you'll admit that your customers will have the last word. And from the looks of a recent report, the last word might be a little discouraging.

3 Simple Ways To Discourage Sales Discounting

Submitted by Heather Clancy on July 29, 2014, 4:00 pm EDT

Even though technology product vendors use special pricing at month's end or quarter's end far less frequently than in the past, the practice of using discounts to seal deals or convince customers to switch products is still relatively common. How do you keep your team from succumbing to the pressure? Here are three practices used by CRN Tech Elite solution provider Sovereign Systems.

Anatomy Of A Cloud Buyer

Submitted by Heather Clancy on June 26, 2014, 5:00 pm EDT

What sort of investment will that business you're prospecting make in cloud services? A survey by an elite Amazon Web Services partner identifies three distinct personalities of the average cloud services buyer.

Sales Bible: 10 Truths For More Effective Selling

Submitted by Rob Wright on June 20, 2014, 5:00 am EDT

Best-selling author and professional speaker Jeffrey Gitomer recently offered solution providers several tips for more effective selling, including how to improve their sales approach and close deals more effectively. Here are a few of Gitomer's most salient points.

3 Ways To Cultivate Cloud Services Sales

Submitted by Heather Clancy on June 2, 2014, 5:45 pm EDT

Trying to balance contracts for recurring services with traditional project-based contracts? Here's how Dimension Data and Tribridge find equilibrium when it comes to cloud service sales.

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