Question 1

What do you do? How can you help me?

Accepted Answer

In the markets which you know still have unused potential, we can bring you new revenue. This is what we can do for complex offerings. If you have innovative solutions, our existing consultant network is ideal for this.

Question 2

What is PGN? I don’t understand what exactly you offer.

Accepted Answer

PGN is an innovative business model for outsourced sales. PGN Sellers are professionals in remote markets who know the local culture and how to do business there. The network wins you ideal international projects, quickly, with minimal risks in an innovative way.
 
To keep it simple it is outsourced sales. We get you to the right clients.

Question 3

INDUSTRIES - Which industries are you in?

Accepted Answer

PGN is focusing on innovative solutions that are difficult to sell, almost regardless of the industry. We have experience from FinTech and InsureTech to Industrial Automation and Medical Devices to name a few. Our sellers in the global markets are a growing community of industry experts which we recruit also to expand to new industries.

Question 4

MARKETS - What markets does PGN operate in?

Accepted Answer

All, but in some we have more sellers and in others we recruit more as the project advances.

Question 5

MARKETS - Which is the flagship market for PGN? – where are you the most effective and why?

Accepted Answer

Italy - the market has a big language barrier to consultative selling. This, combined with a highly innovative SME environment, makes it the perfect market for us. Plus, we have a lot of partners we can use.

Question 6

VALUE - What does PGN really bring as the added value?

Accepted Answer

- Results, fast, without investment and risk of building own international sales organisation.
- Professional selling that adequately develops the brand with top management in the target industries.

Question 7

Are you another Lead Generation company that approach us constantly?

Accepted Answer

We don't do lead generation, never did. We are a sales organisation, with the top sales methodology for selling innovative tech solutions and sellers in the markets that bring the deals. Generating leads only is a troubled business, full of challenges, dubious practices and no control over results.

Question 8

Why is PGN unique – what makes you different, better?"

Accepted Answer

- From 20 years of experience with global sales organisations, we are able to deploy effective selling of solutions anywhere - scalability & transferability.
- We prepare custom tools for each project that have the same format that sellers understand - quick start. All this is based on true solution selling, focusing on buyer's business challenges and selling only after that is diagnosed - high success rates.
- Selling based on business/financial value, for prices that correspond to the value the solution brings to the buyer, even more justifying our commission - higher margins.
- Rich experience from various industries and markets - effectiveness & business development.

Question 9

REFERENCES - do you have a customer base?

Accepted Answer

yes, we have completed more than 100 international projects. References are on our website and past projects also on www.atol-bs.com

Question 10

PAYMENT - What are PGN conditions for the remuneration and success fee?

Accepted Answer

Even though the value of a successful project is at the level of 1M€ and more, we target to earn some 100-300k€ in 2-4 years. All this depends on the specifics of a project. The commission is calculated and negotiated jointly to ensure a win-win membership. There is a 30% project launch contribution (5-10k€) in the form of a down payment, depending on the size of the project.

Question 11

DEPOSIT - Why and on what terms?

Accepted Answer

The deposit is a guarantee, a sign of commitment that you are going to participate. This downpayment is more than reasonable and we are confident that it is fair. It is a real test of your commitment.
We invest in the workshops, CRM, manual and take over the risk of new market entry. The development of such a system costs ~25k€, and you only need to co-finance the start of the new market entry development.
The down payment has 2 installments - first half at the time of agreement signature and the second half when the deliverables are prepared.

Question 12

Does PGN search for sales opportunities or generate leads?

Accepted Answer

Even more - usually, we take over the whole sales process with closing - engaging clients’ experts only when agreed. We are experts in solution selling so we can rely on our organisation to deliver results.

Question 13

What does Lead Generation mean for PGN?

Accepted Answer

A lead is a contact that is initially qualified and fits the marketing criteria. It becomes an opportunity when they already know and understand the value proposition, know exactly why they are having the meeting and want to proceed with the conversation.

Question 14

Which way do you find prospects / customers:

Accepted Answer

We use solution selling methods, customised per project/solution, generating interest based on business challenges with carefully selected responsible persons. Using LI, events and other B2B marketing channels.

Question 15

Do you do social media capture?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this has been increased heavily in 1Q19

Question 16

Do you do cold calling?

Accepted Answer

Not cold calling. Now calling is done jointly with social and content so, more like warm calling.

Question 17

Do you do LinkedIn campaigns?

Accepted Answer

Yes, extensively

Question 18

Do we make events?

Accepted Answer

Not currently, but in the near future we will

Question 19

What kind of companies do you target?

Accepted Answer

Well, whatever is needed and defined in the workshops. Usually, enterprises are more difficult to access but the reward is bigger.
The promise of PGN is to help SMEs get into enterprises.

Question 20

What is our effectiveness / success rate

Accepted Answer

Usually much above the client's. With the best clients at their level, but definitely more scalable/cost-efficient.

Question 21

Our offering is very specific and we can only sell it by ourselves!

Accepted Answer

We are very familiar with this myth and we understand the concern. PGN is focusing on innovative complex solutions that are hard to sell. We have clients and experience from professional services to tech solutions, and industrial offerings.
We are experts in high added value B2B sales, and the PGN solution selling methodology is designed to effectively sell solutions without in-depth technical knowledge of the product.

Question 22

What you're saying that the local representatives you have are solution sellers?

Accepted Answer

Yes

Question 23

We can’t do contracts in English, can you translate it to our language?"

Accepted Answer

Well, we stopped translating contracts because there is no real benefit. You will need someone in your company who speaks English, as contracts with international buyers will typically be in English.

Question 24

How does the cooperation process look like?

Accepted Answer

A PGN Consultant can present a detailed standard implementation plan. However, in general, we create this sales manual with the marketing criteria for your target companies. Then we clearly define your value proposition in business terms for each role in the target company profile.
 
We are in sync with you and you know exactly how opportunities are developed and you know sellers follow this process.
 
We also establish a joint CRM. So that you can monitor progress.

Question 25

PILOT PROJECT - Is it possible to have one? On which terms?

Accepted Answer

The downpayment is low - cca. 7k€, and we have the market validation phase, so that is the pilot. However, we want guarantee we continue if it is successful.
 
During the market validation phase, we make some test projects to test the sales kit and see if the product/market fit is real - we have to be careful because we take on a lot of risk.

Question 26

When do we discuss with the customer/When are we included? Should we ever think about visiting the customers with you?

Accepted Answer

One of the benefits of our sales methodology is that you only invest your time in opportunities that are qualified, where the top-level decision makers are already intrigued and already convinced/biased toward seeing the solution.
 
Of course, your experts might be needed earlier, depending on the project. We define a simple sales process with you so that we are all know when you need to be included. We will also need some content marketing and a good webpage as a support for sales.

Question 27

How would cooperation look like on just 1 market and how on a few markets?

Accepted Answer

One benefit of PGN sales systems is its scalability and transferability. So, implementation in a few markets looks similar to an implementation on a single market.

Question 28

RISK - What if the buyer doesn't pay. Who has to take care of that/whose risk is it? Do they still have to pay commission to us.

Accepted Answer

This is one of the risks we cannot take over at this point in time. It is up to you to prepare a contract with partial upfront payment to cover also the sales commission. We may offer the global credit information service very soon.

Question 29

START - How long after signing the contract does it take to start the workshops?

Accepted Answer

Immediately. The workshops can be done basically in two consecutive days. Two afternoons and we are ready to start.

Frequently Asked Questions by producers of innovative tech solutions

Frequently Asked Questions
by producers of innovative tech solutions