Strategy First, Tactics Second


Successful selling depends on your strategy driving your tactics, and not vice versa. Before you make sales calls do you think, "If my customer says this, I will say that" or, do you think, "This is what we need to find out, and what we need to agree on to continue the sale." The former means you rely on tactics and reactive techniques (that is, handling objections) to win debates. The latter means you rely on strategies to plan and manage your selling efforts to win orders.

Another surefire method exists for determining which approach you use. If you discuss specific products on your first sales contact, tactics drive your strategies. Product presentations rely on canned techniques to highlight your features and benefits. Your so-called strategy is to use product presentations to flush out customers' likes and dislikes. To convince customers to buy, you name every feature you believe produces great benefits. With tactics-driven selling, customers typically request proposals on the first sales call that never go anywhere.

When tactics drive this shotgun approach, you need knowledgeable customers. You count on them to know how to pick out what features they like while disregarding the ones they do not. Never sure how customers will react, you rely on your ability to react to the unexpected. When you use tactics, you become proficient at verbal jiujitsu. You learn how to spar with customers when situations arise that do not favor your products or company.

Example

start example

Eileen Watkins is the information technology (IT) administrator for a large life insurance agency. Bob Thompson sells security, storage, and backup software for networks to prevent the loss of information. Eileen contacts Bob's company and requests that they send someone out to discuss her electronic data protection needs. Lucky Bob, Eileen is in his territory. Bob confirms on their initial phone call that Eileen wants to know what products and services his company can provide to increase data protection during power outages and prevent incidents of illegal access (hacking). Bob is certain that he can help Eileen solve her problems.

On his first in-person sales call to Eileen, Bob relies on tactics. They exchange pleasantries and brief histories of one another's background and companies. Bob asks Eileen if she has any other concerns ("pain") in addition to power outages and hacking. She says no.

Bob launches his well-polished PowerPoint presentation to outline features, benefits, and price ranges to gauge the extent of Eileen's preferences, sense of urgency, and available budget. He explains how his products and services help companies like Eileen's to protect their electronic data. He provides various dollar amounts these companies avoided losing by preventing data loss and illegal access.

Eileen sends out numerous buying signals. Their discussions focus on the different product costs and projected benefits. Bob also confirms that Eileen is the decision maker, has a $150,000 budget, and wants a solution in place within three months. Eileen requests that Bob work up three different combinations of products and services for her to review. Bob goes for the trial close. He asks Eileen if his products solve her outages and hacking problems, while also satisfying her budget and completion date, would she buy them? She says yes. Bob immediately agrees to present three proposals later in the week. Why not? Bob knows he has an interested and qualified customer (expressed need, available funding, set deadlines, and affirmed trial close), right?

Maybe not. Bob did a good job qualifying whether Eileen has the ability to buy his products. However, key metrics and details are still missing about whether Eileen can achieve her goals—and whether Bob can help in her endeavors. These measurable details could delay or lose the sale. In addition, the missing metrics and details would eliminate the need for Bob to present three different proposals that include details such as:

  • What does "increasing data protection" really mean in dollar terms?

  • What does it cost Eileen's company per hour or minute of downtime?

  • What is the company currently doing to address these situations?

  • Are there any other competitors or alternatives involved?

  • How many incidents of hacking has the company had, and what was the cost?

  • How will Eileen justify the expense of any new software?

  • Which is more important: illegal access or outages, and why?

  • What are the reasons the company proceeded with or abandoned this type of project in the past?

  • Why is the company pursuing these issues now?

Most important, what measurable benchmarks will Eileen and Bob use to determine if she achieves her goals of data protection? After all, Bob wants to turn Eileen into a long-term customer by fulfilling her measurable expectations—a hit-or-miss proposition if he does not know the answer to this question. Bob might even find out that he cannot help Eileen to achieve her measurable benefits. If so, he would explain why he cannot help her at this time—and pass on this opportunity. If you get the sale but disappoint the customer with unfulfilled results, you will lose the opportunity to develop a repeat, long-term customer. A lost sale always beats a lost customer.

end example

In The Science of Sales Success, you learn how to motivate customers to answer all these questions with specific and measurable details.

In tactics-driven selling, once salespeople throw out enough features and benefits to hit customers' hot buttons or "pain," they tend to end sales calls. When success seems likely, it is tempting to avoid finding out additional information that might jeopardize sales opportunities. "If I do not bring up something negative, hopefully customers will not either," they think. This approach often results in time wasted on unqualified opportunities for everyone.




The Science of Sales Success(c) A Proven System for High Profit, Repeatable Results
The Science of Sales Success: A Proven System for High-Profit, Repeatable Results
ISBN: 0814415997
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 170
Authors: Josh Costell

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net