© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Developing & Using a Sales Process How the customer explained it How the project leader understood it How the engineer designed it How the programmer wrote it How the sales executive described it How the project was documented What operations installed How the customer was billed How the helpdesk supported it What the customer really needed

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process Elements of a sales process include:  Method for creating and handling leads  Networking and referrals  Presentations/demonstrations  Evaluating prospects  Closing process  Follow-up procedures  Pipeline

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process  Review and document your current sales cycle.  Create a time line for your current sales cycle.  When your sales cycle is fixed, salespeople become much more effective!

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process  When are contacts made between the salesperson and the prospect?  Within what time frames are contacts made between the salesperson and the prospect?

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process  What do you want the salesperson to do?  What do you want the prospect to do?  What should be achieved after each contact?

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process Features versus Benefits  Feature: A feature is a factual statement/specific detail about a product or service.  Benefit: A benefit explains how the product fits into a person’s life or makes their lives easier or better.

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process 1.List the features of your product or service. (You and or your company’s history may be a feature.) 2.Now list the benefits of those features.

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process What is the overt benefit for each of your features (WIIFM)? These are the benefits your product or service will deliver.  Is the benefit clear and obvious?  Is the message specific about what’s in it for them?  Does the idea excite their interest?  Is the concept clearly unique versus the competition?

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Benefits vs. Overt Benefits Protect Your Shoes Durable Shoeshine Salt Guard Protects from Winter Damage Armor Shoeshine Lasts 7 Days Fast Shoeshine2 Minute Shoeshine BenefitsOvert Benefits

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process  Create a questionnaire to use with prospects that focuses on all your listed overt benefits.  Based on the prospect’s answers, you will hopefully resolve any challenges or meet the expectations the prospect may have.

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process  Identify what differentiates you from your competition.  How do the features of your product or service differentiate from your competition?  Identify your competition’s pricing

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process  You must Quantify (ROI) your product or service to the prospect  Dollar amount  Emotional  Strategic

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process  Create a list of typical objections or stalling tactics you receive from a prospect.  Develop a response to overcome each objection and/or counter act the stall.

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process You have just created a sales process.

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process Review your company sales cycle What needs to be improved to make the cycle shorter?

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons Creating a Sales Process Increases Revenues Increases Profits Increases the Value of Your Business

© 1987 – 2008 Infinite Horizons