Helping People Isn’t Just for Nonprofits
When two MIT graduates, Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan, observed that customers weren’t responding to tried-and-true marketing tactics — and that Shah’s unassuming blog was driving way more web traffic than sites with huge marketing budgets — they created Hubspot, a marketing and sales software company. Shah and Halligen realized that most companies were forgetting about the human element of sales. Instead of helping people, these businesses treated customers like numbers, all in the pursuit of their bottom line. So, they started Hubspot to do the opposite. They decided to help other businesses forge human relationships with their customers and create an “inbound world.” Knowing Hubspot’s origin story, it comes as no surprise that their No. 1 salesperson, Sharen Murnaghan, lives by the mantra of “Always be helping.” She and Hubspot both believe that helping others is part of business. When you look at Hubspot’s “About Us” page, you’ll notice their vision is to build a company where business is “empathetic, human, and personable.” Before joining Hubspot, Murnaghan had a successful sales career in the publishing world, but was ready for something new. She had an impressive amount of sales experience but almost no knowledge of digital marketing, an industry she knew was clearly on the rise. So, “armed with nothing but a desire to learn and a willingness to work hard,” she enrolled in a digital marketing course, got a certification,
and eventually found her way to Hubspot. She started in an entry-level sales position, and, after putting in 12-hour days and many more hours of continued education, she became their No. 1 salesperson. She’s held the spot ever since.
Besides putting in her time, what strategies got her there? Murnaghan found success by exercising the same values that Hubspot was built on. “People don’t want to be interrupted by marketers or harassed by salespeople,” Shah and Halligan say of their empathetic approach. “They want to be helped.” Murnaghan’s interactions with customers hinged on her desire to help others, and she was determined to carry out that mission. Once, she connected a client’s daughter with friends in Canada after learning the girl was starting university there. What lessons can we glean from Murnaghan’s and Hubspot’s success? Don’t forget about the simple act of helping people. Make this a priority above selling a good or service. As you shape and define your company’s values, hire people who exemplify them. Like Murnaghan, if they live your values, they’ll wow your clients, build relationships, and bring you both to the top.
Tester-
MONIALS
“You gave us the motivation to pick up the phone and call prospects. I’m now able to adapt to different people’s personality styles on the phone. Most of all, it was fun and entertaining — and I love your shoes!”
–Lauren, Realtor at the Dialing Strangers Training Class (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Tax Tips From Grandma
Outline a strategy for what’s going to be in your wallet:
1. Identify what you spend each month for your living expenses (tighten your belt).
April can be the start of something great, even with Tax Day looming. If you’re not happy with your W-2, decide to change it. If you’re spending more than you’re making, read this excerpt from my grandma’s wallet. My grandmother, Helen, who lived into her 90s, was a child of the Great Depression and the daughter of a homesteader during the Dust Bowl days in Montana. She was the matriarch of the family, with three successful sons, including one who became a U.S. senator. She also owned three homes and 3,000 acres of land when she passed. I was fortunate to get her insights about living within one’s means while still striving to live beyond one’s wildest dreams. I remember as a child that Grandma’s wallet always had cash in it. At the time, I thought it was wonderful, but only today do I fully understand why she only carried cash. It is the reason why even to her last day, she still had plenty of it.
2. Create an envelope system and stick with it (pay in cash).
3. Pick up a part-time job (pay off your credit cards).
4. Look for deals (start shopping for Christmas right now).
5. Get rid of your credit cards.
6. Open a savings account.
7. Fill up the pantry.
8. Figure out how much debt you are in and build a plan to eliminate it.
9. Think ahead (i.e., kids, college, and weddings).
10. Teach your kids the basics of money management.
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