Case Study: Preparation + Patience = Success

If you ever read a book on professional sales, you’ve probably heard of the saying “the harder you work, the luckier you get.” The idea is that by prospecting more, increasing visibility, or making more sales calls (in other words, “prepare prepare prepare”) the odds of being at the right place at the right time and landing a new customer will shift in your favor. The expression “good things come to those who wait”, adds an element of patience to the equation.

When a company’s management decides to make the leap overseas, the team is well advised to be willing to do the same: One the one hand, prepare: Commit resources, work diligently, and increase your exposure. On the other hand, be mindful of the possibility that – despite intense efforts – the overseas venture may not reap “overnight” success. In cases where both ingredients are present, preparation and patience, an encounter with success is a lot more likely.

A good example is document imaging software vendor Atalasoft in Easthampton, MA. The company’s CEO, Bill Bither, approached me to help his growing company find a suitable partner in Germany to resell & support his company’s software, or to potentially partner with an OEM or Systems Integrator. His commitment to the effort was admirable, his ability (or willingness) to be patient critical.

Our team designed a solution that involved an extensive lead research campaign, the design of a marketing brochure in German, custom stationary (formatted according to Germany’s Din A4 sizes), a direct mail campaign, a German web presence, a virtual office overseas, a local (German) phone number, and a direct calling campaign – all with the aim to pave the way for constructive dialog with potential partners and a worthy introduction of Atalasoft to the German marketplace in general.

The plan also included having Bill meet potential partners during a visit to DMS 2008 in Cologne, an annual document imaging tradeshow. In a sign of “going the extra mile”, Bill agreed to upgrade his German expansion efforts to not only visit DMS, but also to invest the extra money for an actual booth in order to exhibit (this also involved taking along two other Atalasoft executives to man the booth, show demos etc.). Bill additionally opted to have us join him at the show, moderating meetings and networking on behalf of his company with other exhibitors.

Having a physical presence at the show meant a number of things. First, it communicated to German VARs, OEMs etc. that Atalasoft was “for real” – a viable business, run by experienced people, and an actual product that interested parties could view and demo. Second, it communicated that the company was serious about doing business overseas and projected the image of a truly international company.

One of the biggest advantages of Atalasoft having its own booth was the fact that Bill and his executives had a “home base” at the 3-day show. While L & G was perusing the show floor, spotting, screening and recruiting additional Atalasoft partner prospects and driving traffic to the their booth, the Atalasoft team spent its time giving demos, fielding questions, and introducing their products to OEMs, VARs, and distributors. Having a designated place at DMS to meet prospects, coupled with the L & G directing traffic toward it, resulted in minimal unused time. Everybody was occupied nearly “non-stop”, engaging with potential customers and fielding questions (To read more about Bill’s experience at DMS in Germany, visit his blog).

Until that point, between the first planning efforts and the end of the DMS show, nearly a full year had passed. Money had been invested, resources allocated, and time spent – all in the name of increasing overseas exposure and improving the odds of locating a suitable German partner. Bill and his team did everything they could. Now it was just a matter of being patient, their preparations to take root, and seeing what would develop.

Bill and his team’s willingness to invest and be patient were ultimately rewarded in a unique, yet not unexpected way (remember, “the harder you work, the luckier you get”?) Atalasoft’s booth in Cologne happened to be right next to the Microsoft Germany stand. Over the course of the three show days, being located side-by-side, Bill and his team’s efforts caught they eye of Microsoft employees and a few of their partners. Atalasoft’s presentation, preparedness, and diligence were taken notice of – not to mention their products and solutions.

As the show progressed, conversations between the respective booth neighbors ensued and matured. Ideas were exchanged, notes compared, and relationships started to forge. And, the seeds for a new overseas partnership were sown.

In the end, Atalasoft not only landed its overseas partner, but also walked away with a large amount of additional sales leads and the reassurance, that they did everything they could in order to leave a most favorable impression – with customers, partners, and peers.

Preparation + Patience = Success.

Note: This blog entry was published only after Leitzmann & Grillo (L & G) obtained permission from Bill Bither, CEO, of Atalasoft. As a matter of standard policy, L & G does not publish, announce, or otherwise list its clients’ names – unless permission was granted in advance and no other conditions, be they part of a NDA or any other agreement, are being compromised. L & G treats all client names, project details, expansion dates, and/or engagement particulars strictly confidential.