Company: Best Software
Company Description: Best Software offers leading business management products and services that give more than 2.3 million small and mid-sized customers in North America the insight for success throughout the lives of their businesses. Its parent company, The Sage Group plc (London: SGE.L), supports 4.4 million customers worldwide.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Sales Executive

Nomination Title: Taylor Macdonald, Innovative Partner Advocate

   1. Tell the story about what this nominee achieved in 2004 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

Taylor Macdonald is responsible for channel and sales operations for the Best
Software mid- market division, which includes strategic partner recruitment and
development. Prior to joining Best Software, Taylor was founder of Macdonald
Consulting Group, the company’s top business partner for five years.

Best Software is one of the largest software companies serving the small and mid-
size business market, with a successful heritage forged in a large part through its
focus on developing a strong partner channel. In the past year, Taylor’s
initiatives have increased channel sales significantly, up 45% from last year while overall company revenues increased 30%. Sales through the Best Software channel
represent almost 50% of overall company revenues.

Taylor has made a strong impact by making clear investments in the channel
program to help partners hire the best sales people and provide them with the
focused training they need to quickly be effective. Two innovative programs form
key elements of this strategy: Partners for Growth, and the Best Sales Academy.

In June 2004, Taylor’s team launched Partners for Growth, a $1 million investment
in delivering sales training, hiring assistance, direct financial support and
marketing assistance programs to business partners. The one million dollar
investment was an exclusive program for 100 Best Software partner firms, with the
aggressive goal of adding 100 field-trained sales executives to the existing
business partner channel within a 90- day period. Participating firms received a
subsidy to offset new-hire start up costs, special lead generation assistance to
fill the sales pipeline and expedited new-hire training on the Best Software products.

Designed to fuel internal growth in the company’s 6,000+ strong partner channel,
the program was an overwhelming success. It was the largest program of its kind
and the partner applications received far exceeded the 100 available spots. More
than 250 business partners applied for the 100 places in the Best Software
program. Each of the 100 partners accepted to participate receives $10,000
towards finding, hiring, training and supporting a new member of its sales force.

Taylor’s team also announced the creation of the Best Sales Academy, which
provides training to participants. It offers complete multi-level courses and
workshops on selling, coaching and managing sales, negotiating industry issues
and other topics related to the selling process. The first five-day training
session took place the week of September 2004.

Taylor’s goals for strengthening the channel program revolve around creative ways
to increase individual partner growth to develop a sustainable business. As part of
his commitment, Taylor devotes one full day per month to scheduled conference
calls with channel partners. The agenda is decided on by the individual partner and
may focus on sales, marketing, growing their business or Best Software in general.

Taylor also distributes a monthly newsletter with ideas on how to generate
additional revenue as well as tips on innovative ways to close a deal. Taylor
challenges the partners thinking through a constant stream of tangible thought
provoking ideas and examples that they can personally benefit from. 

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: List each link on a separate line, begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.website.com]:

Key Revenue Generating Programs for Partners:
http://www.bestsoftware.com/partnership/generate_leads.html

Partner program with $1million investment:
http://www.bestsoftware.com/newsroom/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/news.detail/id/379

Results of $1million partner commitment:
http://www.bestsoftware.com/newsroom/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/news.detail/id/421

President’s Circle Winners; Top Partner Producers:
http://www.bestsoftware.com/newsroom/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/news.detail/id/430

Taylor to Lead Best Software Mid-Market Channel and Sales Operations:
http://www.bestsoftware.com/newsroom/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/news.detail/id/393

Quotes from third party partners:
"Absolutely a must for the salesperson who is offering Best Software solutions to
their customers. The Academy is highly interactive and motivating." - Shannon
Walther, Access Business Systems

"This was a great experience to jump right in and meet others from around the
country who are embarking on the same journey I am. It was a good learning
experience no matter what your level of expertise. I know now I have contacts and
support from people at Best who I feel I can contact at any time for assistance. I
know who they are and they know me! What a great communications advantage!" -
 Tom Leib, BCG Systems, Inc.

"For someone who has been through numerous solution sales training programs
(Khalsa, Franklin-Covey, Miller Heiman, SPIN), I still found tremendous value in
the Best Software Academy program. I think the most unique differentiator was in
the marriage of the training material with the product-specific breakout
sessions. In short - Best was able to make the training extremely relevant by relating to the issues we're dealing with on a daily basis. Thanks for a great week!" - Mark
Williams Plus Consulting
Dan Gimbert of Software Link, the first 100/100 participant to close new business
following participation in the program attended the September training
session. “Having the ability to draw from the resources of an organization like
Best Software through their Sales Academy has given me a refreshing perspective on the sales process,” said Gimbert. “I have been able to translate that methodology into my daily sales activities, and with one major sale already under my belt, I am
confident that Software Link and I will continue to succeed as a partner of Best
Software.”

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about this nominee:

Taylor Macdonald serves as the executive vice president, channel and sales
operations for Best Software’s mid-market division. Macdonald oversees national
partners, the business partner channel, which includes partner recruitment and
partner development and is also responsible for the field based sales team.

Taylor is one of the more recognizable figures in the accounting software industry.
He has been named twice to the “100 Most Influential People” by Accounting
Today and is a frequent speaker at the AICPA on topics such as business
automation and business partnering. Taylor graduated from Yale University with a
BS degree.