Stop Selling

Yes, customer-centric selling takes longer but it is way more efficient

Too often we ask: “Why can’t we sell to these guys?” when in fact we should be asking, “Why aren’t they buying from us?”. 

LET ME EXPLAIN 

It’s natural to focus on our well designed, thoughtful sales process. Most sales software has a pipeline management system that reinforces all the things we are supposed to do to move a prospect through the pipeline. Too often, these processes are sales centric and designed around an average situation that may not apply to us. 

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD 

I know it’s obvious, but instead of starting with the seller’s process, we need to work through the buyer’s process. Typically, this starts before they have ever heard of you and ends when you deposit the payment. Here’s how to do it.

• Map out all the activities a company buyer must complete before they can buy from you; you can see a detailed example below.
• Recognize that activities are always driven by emotion – so you must also help them feel good about moving forward with each step.
• Design a sales process that positively influences every one of these items.   

Some example activities to add to your sales process:

• If the client needs to discuss your solution with technical staff, end users, and financial staff – you can facilitate this by organizing a meeting with them individually or collectively.
• If the client will likely have credibility questions, pre-empt it by setting up a call with a happy customer and /or have your CEO call their CEO to establish a board level connection and build trust.
• If your solution will create change in the organization, meet with those affected to get feedback and provide it to the buyer.
• If the client needs to create an internal business plan for the project – provide a template and data to help them.  

SO WHAT?

• When you take this approach, you will inevitably find at least three or four key activities you can add to YOUR process to accelerate and facilitate THEIR process. 
• You will be able to eliminate no-hopers from your pipeline sooner.
• You will have a clearer view of how well the sale is progressing.
• You will improve your closing ratios.

 If you want some help, I run really effective on-line workshops for sales teams that want to improve. Send me a note and we can discuss. 

Andrew