Response Point Team Blog : Selling

Updated RP site for Microsoft Partners

sprague — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:36:14 GMT

The Response Point world is centered around our business partners and Microsoft Specialists who help customers choose and deploy their phone systems. Our partners often ask us for marketing, sales, and technical information to make it easier for them to present Response Point, and there are many ways to get that information, but if you’re a serious partner the best way is through the Microsoft Partner Portal (MSPP).

Today we’re pleased to announce a major upgrade to the Response Point section on MSPP: get all the Response Point sales, marketing and training tools you’ll need to increase awareness and drive sales to your small business customers. The newly redesigned Response Point product page has relocated to the Global Microsoft Partner Portal site, and is now located under “Products and Solutions” with easier navigation and on-stop access to technical, product and selling resources. In addition to updated SP2 feature and benefit content, you’ll find NEW website, email, event and co-promotional templates.

You can find all of this and more at: https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40104201

Please note: the MSPP site is limited to Microsoft Partners only. If you’re interested in becoming one, please follow the instructions for how to become a Response Point specialist and join us!

March 18th Microsoft Canada Response Point Webinar

RexBackman — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:20:00 GMT

Hear from SBS MVP Jeff Loucks, Trent Johnsen of SMB Phone and the Response Point team on the opportunities in selling Response Point to your customers.

We will also have some SPECIAL OFFERS from our Response Point Partners for those who attend the webinar.

To register go HERE.

The 10 Step Response Point Partner Playbook

RexBackman — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:03:00 GMT

1. Select Your Hardware OEM:

Aastra, D-Link, or Syspine

2. Choose Your Service Provider:

Bandwidth.com, Cbeyond, NGT, Junction Networks, Packet 8, SMB Phone, TotalTel

3. Know the Response Point Peripherals:

Quintum for Gateways, ClearOne for speakerphones

4. Get Smart:

Read books – from Harry Brelsford and Joe Schurman

Take online training from the RP web

Take Microsoft Learning course #74-675

5. Stock Up:

Get a permanent demo unit at a discount from your OEM

Use it for demos and hot swap backups for your managed services

6. Get Involved in the Community:

Read the Response Point team blog; visit Telephonation.com; join the Response Point LinkedIn group

7. Market Yourself:

Get a Yellow Page ad in the TELEPHONE section; do a direct mail piece; put on an event; join local professional organizations

8. Get Those Leads:

Get to know your local Chamber of Commerce; know your local moving companies; Extend your SBS installed base with Response Point; investigate sba.gov for local angles and opportunities (i.e. monthly SCORE meetings…).

9. Sell the Solution:

It’s all about communication and collaboration. Leverage your SBS and Outlook skills with the client. Customize the RP toast with SP2, customize the auto attendant….

10. Manage that New Customer:

Deliver regular maintenance; sell remote management; network assessment health checks; Response Point customization. All are good ‘links of revenue' that add up overtime.

Wesbell Test Drive Program

sprague — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:02:06 GMT

Another announcement from Aastra distributor, Wesbell Technologies:

For those resellers who would like to evaluate the AastraLink RP system before becoming an AastraLink RP reseller or purchasing their first system Wesbell has created the "Test Drive Program". There is no cost (other than the cost of shipping the system back to Wesbell) or commitment to the reseller. Wesbell provides them with an AstraLink controller, 4 port analog gateway, one 6751i RP set, one 6753i RP and one 6757i RP CT set (comes with the cordless)to evaluate and test. The reseller can have the system for a period of one to two weeks depending on the type of test and demand for the "Test Drive Program".

For more details of the program or to book your "Test Drive" please contact Sharaz Agemoler at 1-888-Wesbell

Demo cases for Aastra

sprague — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:58:03 GMT

Aastra distributor Wesbell has an agreement with Boxer Custom Cases that will help you if you carry a Response Point system on the road for demos or presentations.

Boxer has created a customized portable demo case for the AastraLink RP system. This secure, robust case now allows resellers to take their AastraLink RP system safely to customer presentations, trade shows and product fairs. The customized case has room for the AastraLink RP system, sets, power bar, POE switch and cables (These items do not come with the demo case. They are purchased separately). Once at the customer's site all you have to do is plug the power cord in and the AastraLink RP system boots up. Place the sets on the table and you are ready to demo. Quick, easy and secure.

For more details please call Boxer Custom Boxes directly at 1-877-Boxercase, www.boxercase.com. In addition, Wesbell and Boxer have created a special promotion on the demo case. When speaking to Boxer make sure you mention that you are a Wesbell approved AastraLink RP reseller. Only Wesbell customers receive this special promotion.

New Wesbell promotion

sprague — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:51:30 GMT

Aastra distributor Wesbell sent us this news you'll want to know if you are an Aastra reseller, or thinking of becoming one:

Wesbell Technologies announces at their "AastraLink and You" webinar the "Win with Wesbell" promotion. This exciting program rewards AastraLink RP resellers with free 6753i RP sets when an AastraLink RP system is sold. The larger the system sold the more free sets availaable to the resellers. The program runs from November 10, 2008 to January 31, 2009 and is open to all AastraLink RP resellers.

In conjunction with Microsoft's lead generation program, the "Win with Wesbell" program will help the reseller generate incremental business. It will make the reseller more competitive and will help improve margins. It is a great promotion to help close business for the year.

For further details please contact Mark Fitchett (National Channel Director) or Sharaz Agemoler (Inside Sales Manager) at 1-888-Wesbell.

Radio advertising for Response Point

sprague — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:45:12 GMT

Len Poulin, of LBP Enterprises in Waynesboro, VA is advertising Response Point on the local radio:

Local radio ads are a great way to reach small businesses in your area. It's cheap, and very targeted. Many small business owners spend a lot of time in their cars, jumping from one place to another, and radio makes them a captive audience. When we did some test advertising on the radio a few months ago, we found it was very effective.

If you've been doing local advertising for Response Point, please let us know.

IPPhoneshack.com at ITExpo

sprague — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:06:34 GMT

One of our meetings at ITExpo last week was with Andrew Swingler from Crewe Technology in Southern California and who also runs IPPhoneshack.com, an online retail site specializing in Response Point products. Andrew sells a lot of Response Point equipment, and we were surprised to hear that most of his business happens over the phone, without ever setting foot on the customer’s site.

His secret? He focuses on great customer service, responding to phone inquiries with deep knowledge and unbiased opinions about the products he sells. Plus, he takes the time to follow up after the sale to ensure every customer is happy.

Sometimes Andrew is unable to make a sale, and we asked him to let us know immediately when there are shortcomings in our products. We’re a small team and we rely on feedback from people like Andrew to help us improve.

SP1 Fact Sheet on line

sprague — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 20:15:31 GMT

Looking for a detailed, authoritative overview of Response Point SP1 features? Click here to download the SP1 Fact sheet:

It's full of screen shots and feature descriptions and you are free to copy/paste and post to your own web site or use in customer materials as you like.

Tinsley Consulting

sprague — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:53:47 GMT

David Tinsley runs a small consulting business in Tampa, Florida. He's listed on our web site as a trained specialist, and as I was perusing our web statistics I noticed that he recently received some click-throughs from us, so I called him to see how things went. His experience is pretty typical, so I thought I'd write a short post explaining a bit about his business.

First, big advice for you if you're a reseller who wants to be listed on our site: be sure your web site is up-to-date and that you look like you sell RP. Many customers click through, only to disappear if they see a page that doesn't look relevant to their goal, which is to find a Response Point phone system.

In this case the customer we referred to him is a typical small business: ten employees, has an existing but ancient phone system that is costly to maintain, doesn't want to get ripped off.

After the initial contact, David went back and forth several times with the customer. Does it do X? Does it do Y? Why should I buy it from you when I can get it online? David explained all the advantages of dealing with a local reseller: fast and personal response, objective advice, flexibility.

Ultimately you know what clinched the deal? It was the demo. He showed them how the whole system could be up and running in 20 minutes -- not the whole afternoon that a competitor would need -- and then he let them operate it themselves. Response Point really is easy, so you can rely on that as part of your entire presentation. Don't be shy about letting the customer touch and operate it for themselves -- RP is not going to let you down.

How did David make money? Well, once he was in the door showing the system, it was easy for him to show the customer the value of David's other services like network analysis and PC maintenance. He packaged his whole set of offerings in a way that represented real, total value to the customer. It was a clear win-win.

What about you? If you've got a story about how you sold an RP system, please tell us.