How many times have you seen the 2 outs in the 9th scenario. Your team is down by 3 runs. How can they win, but they do. The same thing can happen in sales. You’re in a head to head competition for a customer’s business and your competition is chosen. Do you follow up with the customer and wish them luck and express gratitude for having met them or just walk away? Don’t forget your competition still needs to deliver. I’ve seen it several times. In their all out effort to win the deal your competition promises something they can’t deliver. Make sure you’ve followed up and maintain a good relationship with the customer. There’s still a chance they may come back to you. It’s not over till it’s over.
Rapport and Commonality
Salespeople sometimes forget the value of thoughtful conversation. We have so many other methods of communication with our customers. There’s text messages, email, LinkedIn mail and voice mail exchanges. The true value is almost always in conversation especially face to face.
When’s the last time you spent some sincere effort understanding your customer and building rapport? Sometimes finding that one connection, hobby or interest can take your relationship to a more trusting level, just by finding commonality. You’ll be surprised how much we all share.
Filed under Best Practices, Business, Quality, Sales, Value
Why are we doing this? – Creating Program Objectives
The critical first step in the life of a program is the establishment of objectives. By answering the question, “why are we doing this” provides all stakeholders associated with the program a clearly defined focus. When defined well, this focus will significantly increase the chances for success.
The challenge in creating solid, well-accepted program objectives is that this activity requires a commitment from across the entire organization or body of stakeholders involved. A simple sentence, but all of know the challenge to getting everyone saying the same thing.
The best practice for completing defining objectives is to make the process iterative so that all constituents have had the opportunity to contribute and have their voices heard; then review and review again (two times should be enough once initially captured).
Objectives definition is not something you contract out. Yes, a consulting company can assist with facilitating the process; however, the organization must take an active role in the process. It is only through this active engagement will the organization adopt and take ownership.
The simple view of the process to define program objectives is:
- Start at the top – The organization’s President or CEO (pick one) and/or program sponsor (senior level manager) says, “I want….” (fill in the blank). Input from this level of management says, “We know of the work and we approve”. Also, this input will shape and provide guidance to the next steps.
- Next, add details – Once step one is achieved, the next level of management needs to be engaged and given the opportunity to respond and/or contribute. From the program manager’s perspective, getting this level of contribution adds further validation for the program. Additionally, step one should reflect the view of how the program’s objectives align to corporate level objectives. (Pity the manager at this level who adds details that do not align to corporate goals; a sure way to lose funding when things get tight.)The easiest way to solicit input from this level of management is to start your correspondence with, “From the desk of [insert President/CEO’s name here], the following program is very important to [insert organization name here]. We believe that by achieving the following [insert President/CEO input here], [insert organization name here] will…”
Included in this communication will be a few details about the program’s timeline along with a sense of urgency to getting feedback by [insert date here].
- Thank you! (Review) – Once you have received key stakeholder information and have crafted a short, precise list of objectives you will want to send a ‘thank you’ communication. This correspondence will include the program’s objectives. At this time, anyone who is not aligned with what you have listed will raise a question or ask for clarification. This is great! This shows that they are interested in this work and want to ensure their interests are recognized in the list of objectives. Again, thank them for their input and inform them that you are scheduling a meeting to review and finalize. (Be sure to say whose coming).
- Final Review – Invite all key stakeholders, and work hard to get all (most) of them to accept and attend. Prepare the program overview and state clearly that the goal is to finalize the objectives for the program to ensure they are aligned with [insert President/CEO’s name here] and [insert organization name here]. Get ready for some good dialog as each word is dissected. Once you near the end of this effort, you end the meeting by saying that these objectives will be how the program is managed and measured, and you will provide statuses based on this list. Be sure to get everyone’s agreement.
The steps above will greatly enhance your chances of management commitment, provide a focus for the program and act as a foundation when the program encounters business challenges, such as budget, resources and scope.
Why are we doing this?
Filed under Best Practices, Business, Uncategorized
Success Breeds Complacency.
This quote by Andrew Grove is well known to most good salespeople.
You better not forget the basics of keeping your pipeline stocked with new leads, opportunities and forecasted deals. If you let up or think you have things well in hand, it opens the door to complacency and failure. Remember the sales cycle and it’s twists and turns. It’s good to have a healthy paranoia.
Filed under Best Practices, Business, Persistence, Sales
Working on the right sales opportunities.
Are you working on the right sales opportunities? Do they fit your customer profile? You can waste a good deal of time if you haven’t properly targeted your audience. If you have control over what customers to call on, don’t just call the well known ones. Everyone calls them. Call the ones that come in under the radar. Many companies have the same issues and pains. It makes it a lot easier if they are all in the same vertical space, but many times you’ll find the only difference in verticals is the acronyms being used. There’s plenty of information out there on the challenges that face certain industries become an expert on those and how your solution resolves them. If they are hiring a lot of people there could be expansion plans and may need your help. Check press releases, acquisitions, and events that they attend. Believe in your solution and its value, engage and never give up.
Filed under Best Practices, Business, Persistence, Sales, Value
Good Salespeople Never Give Up
Non-Salespeople always ask me when do you give up and stop making calls? They stop after leaving 2-3 messages. They don’t want to appear to be over aggressive or annoying. The traits that most C-Level executives look for in there own salespeople is tenacity. Although most will do whatever it takes to avoid salespeople from other companies. Ultimately as long as you are polite and professional you have the green light to keep calling. Executives are very busy and have full schedules. Most will applaude your persistance when you finally do make contact. Just make sure you have a valuable message/solution for them.
Filed under Best Practices, Business, Ethics, Persistence, Sales, Uncategorized
Fail to Plan. Plan to Fail.
As a professional sales person you know that if you don’t plan your strategy and allow for setbacks and mishaps you’ll be caught wondering what happened. You need to have contingency scenarios ready. Solution Selling, Miller Heiman, Sadler teach you to the good habits similar to project management milestones and checkpoints. If you don’t know where you are in the sales cycle or your customers buying process who does? Check in, early and often with your customer, so you’re both on the same page and sharing the same goals.
Filed under Best Practices, Business, Sales, Uncategorized, Value
Share the Credit
Most Sales Executives know that some deals they’ve closed, couldn’t
of happened without the aid of their colleagues. Although some will
never admit it. Good Sales Engineers, Solution Architects, Engagement
Managers, Telesales and Admin’s are worth their weight in gold. Give them credit for making you look good and helping deliver on a promise.
Filed under Best Practices, Business, Ethics, Sales
Pay it Forward
“Pay it Forward.” Is it a great philosophy or just a good tag line? How many of us practice it? In sales it’s critical to provide prospects with value and relevant insight that will improve their business. Your prospects will recognize your sincere effort and commitment and reward you with access to decision makers. The key is presenting what is valuable to them, not to you. They may be to different things.
Rainmakah's Blog 