1. Applying Sales Process to Internal Projects: Processes for Program, Portfolio and Project Management Steve Parry Sales Productivity Consultants, Inc

2. Our Agenda
Explore a clear, defined , linear external sales process template that can work in any organization
How to apply this process to promoting projects internally, including:
How to qualify potential internal projects
How to create a message to approach management successfully
How to develop clear agreements along the way to clarify the path forward

3. Our Agenda How to apply this process to promoting projects internally
I am not a project management expert
So I’ll need your help
I’ll set some context, then you’ll break
into small groups to get your input

4. Common Sales Issues Buyers further along in their process
= Doing more research via the internet
More competitors in the mix
Money likely a differentiator (to buyer)
Harder to make personal contact
Harder to close
Prospect takes control

5. What is your Sales Process?
Macro I.
II.
III.

6. What is your sales process?
Macro I.
II.
III.
Micro A. 1. a.

7. The Template

8. What is your Sales Process?
A few suggested elements:

9. Your Ideal Customer Profile
The Bench:
Your Ideal Customer Profile

10. Quantitative
Qualitative

11. A = B = C = D = Who owns the account? How much time to be
spent in each one?
Who owns the account?

12. Sales Plan or Account Plan
The Bench:
Your Ideal Customer Profile
Your
Sales Plan or Account Plan

13. Account Plan Basic rule of engagement: Protect your flank
What is your role in maintaining current customers?
Where does this occur in your sales process?
How do you accomplish this?

14. with the roadmap showing the activity/behaviors to achieve them.
Sales Plan:
The sales plan represents the sales person’s goals (monthly, quarterly and annual)
with the roadmap showing the activity/behaviors to achieve them.

15. Your Initial Appointment
The Bench:
Your Ideal Customer Profile
Your Sales Plan
Your Initial Appointment
(For this opportunity)

16. Your Initial Appointment
The Bench:
Your Ideal Customer Profile
Establish clear agreements
and mutual understanding
You both agree on next
steps and logistics:
time, date, attendees,
location, etc.
Your Sales Plan
Your Initial Appointment
(For this opportunity)

17. Your first appointment; in person or on the phone The Sales Plan
Your first appointment; in person or on the phone
The Sales Plan
The Account Plan
The Bench:
Your Ideal Customer Profile

18. Your Initial Appointment
The Bench:
Your Ideal
Customer Profile
Your Account Plan
A Qualified Prospect:
Rapport: Build trust; find the prospect’s truth
Understand or
create urgency
Investment
Decision Process
Your Initial Appointment

19. Your Initial Appointment
The Bench:
Your Ideal
Customer Profile
Fully Qualified:
Ready to present
Your Sales Plan
Your Initial Appointment
Qualified Prospect:
Rapport
Reason to do business
Investment
Decision Process

20. Solid Prospect: Rapport/ Truth Reason to do business Investment
Decision Process
Your first appointment; in person or on the phone
The Sales Plan
The Bench:
Your Ideal Customer Profile

21. Your Initial appointment
The Bench:
Your Ideal
Customer Profile
Close:
Present,
wrap it up, make it stick
Your Sales Plan
Your Initial appointment
Qualified Prospect:
Rapport/ Truth
Reason to do business
Investment
Decision Process
Fully Qualified:
Ready to present

22. Solid Prospect: Rapport/Truth Reason to do business Budget
Decision Process
Fully Qualified:
Ready to present solution
Your first appointment: in person or on the phone
Close:
Present,
wrap it up,
make it stick
The Sales Plan
The Bench:
Your Ideal Customer Profile

23. Internal Project Process
Apply to The
Internal Project Process

24. The Template The Bench: Possible Internal Projects
The Template
The Bench:
Possible Internal Projects
Possible internal Champions

25. Best Possible Projects
The Bench:
Determining the
Best Possible Projects
What is are the criteria for moving one project ahead vs. another
Quantitative Criteria
Qualitative Criteria

26. Best Possible Projects
The Bench:
Determining the
Best Possible Projects
Possible internal champions:
Senior manager level people that can be brought on board as supporters/sponsors

27. Best Possible Projects
The Bench:
Determining the
Best Possible Projects
Or identifying the executives that have the authority to set budgets and priority

28. Sell the idea of project
The Template
Sell the idea of project
to management
The Bench:
Possible Internal Projects
Possible internal Champions

29. Home to First: Sell the Idea of
the Project to Management
Develop a message around the project
Bring project concept to appropriate leader
This this executive level, or how you get to executive level?
Sell idea of a project to management
Problems it will solve
Quantify the impact those problems
Gain initial approval to proceed

30. People make decisions emotionally
They justify them intellectually

31. Sell the Idea of the
Project to Management
Develop a message around project
Message has to be problem (not benefit) focused
The problem has to impact the “messagee”

32. Discovery: Dig into the details
The Template
Discovery: Dig into the details
Sell the idea of project
to management
The Bench:
Possible Internal Projects
Possible internal Champions

33. Discovery You have a meeting with a champion or leader
That person “gets” the impact and is open to hearing details and being persuaded.
You have a clear agreement with him/her:
Logistics of meeting
Objectives
Agenda of meeting
Outcome(s)

34. Five Elements of an Agreement Purpose of the meeting
Five Elements of
an Agreement
Purpose of the meeting
Explain why you are having the meeting.
Meeting agenda and expectations
Find out what the Leader’s agenda is for the meeting.
Find out what his/her expectations are before and during the meeting.
Understand the leader’s perception of what will happen between meetings.
Clarify their perception concerning next step(s).

35. PM’s agenda and expectations
Five Elements of
an Agreement
 PM’s agenda and expectations
Explain to the leader what you will be doing in the meeting.
Explain your expectations of the leader including what information you will need from him.
Accept no wishy-washy responses.

36. Five Elements of an Agreement Time
Five Elements of
an Agreement
 Time
Set the amount of time needed for the meeting.
Allow enough time to cover all agenda items.
Outcome
The outcome should be the decision to proceed with or stop the project.

37. Setting Agreements Up Front
Logistics
Purpose of the Meeting   
Prospect’s/Client’s Agenda
Salesperson’s Agenda
Outcomes/Next Steps

38. Discovery Dig into details of the project Definition Scope
Broad Timeline
Outcomes

39. Discovery: Dig into the details
Solution Development:
Agreements
Clarify Reason**
Investment
Timeline
People
Discovery: Dig into the details
Sell the idea of project
to management
The Bench:
Possible Internal Projects
Possible internal Champions

40. Solution Development Clarify the reason
Why isn’t the current condition/status quo okay?

41. Current Condition--------------------------Desired End Result
How People Change
Current Condition Desired End Result
Risk
Of remaining “as is” :
Verses
Risk of Change

42. What are the major
problems/issues?
Possible projects will: 1. 2. 3.

43. Business Reasons

44. © 2007 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Creating Urgency
Symptom
Impact
Why?
© 2007 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

45. People make decisions emotionally
They justify them intellectually

46. Solution Development Investment
Does the resource investment make sense?
Is the timing right?
Is the organization truly willing to change?

47. Solution Development Timeline When should the project be complete?
So when should it start?
People
Who?
Why?
Structure?
Management?

48. Discovery: Dig into the details
Solution Development:
Agreements
Clarify Reason**
Investment
Timeline
People
Final Presentation:
Validate execution plan
Discovery: Dig into the details
Sell the idea of project
to management
The Bench:
Possible Internal Projects
Possible internal Champions

49. Final Presentation All details must be sorted out between
2nd and 3rd base
You have a solid agreement regarding the outcome of the presentation meeting

50. Final Presentation
A compelling reason to move forward has been established
Validate execution plan, training, testing, etc.
Final approval

51. Discovery: Dig into the details
Solution Development:
Agreements
Clarify Reason**
Investment
Timeline
People
Final Presentation:
Validate execution plan
Discovery: Dig into the details
Sell the idea of project
to management
Final Approval:
The Bench:
Possible Internal Projects
Possible internal Champions

52. Typical Stalls & Objections you will hear: I DON’T HAVE TIME I DON’T HANDLE THIS JUST SEND ME SOMETHING WE DON’T NEED IT WE’RE WORKING WITH ON IT WE’RE NOT INTERESTED  

53. Applying Sales Process to Internal Projects: Processes for Program, Portfolio and Project Management Steve Parry Sales Productivity Consultants, Inc