1. 092811

2. A multi-step methodology that is: — Repeatable — Manageable
The Sales Process
A multi-step methodology that is:
— Repeatable
— Manageable
— Consistent
— Sequential
Transforms products and services into revenue in a cost-effective way
Composed of many subprocesses

3. A Sale Becomes Complex When:
Buyer has many options
Seller has many options
Many levels are involved
Buying organization’s decision-making process is complex

4. Single Sales Objective Criteria
Product, service, or solution-related
Specific, clear, concise
Definable and measurable
Tied to a timeline
Usually not connected by “and”

5. Single Sales Objective Statement
To sell
for by
Company/Specific Area
Revenue/Other Units
Product/Service/Solution
Close Date

6. Four Buying Influence roles in every sale
Buying Influences
KEY IDEAS:
Four Buying Influence roles in every sale
Each role describes a type of influence on the sale
Each Buying Influence may play multiple roles in one sale

7. Economic Buying Influence
ROLE: Gives final approval to buy
Only one per sale (could be a team, board, or committee)
Controls expenditure and release of funds
Has discretionary use of resources
Has veto power
Can say Yes (and make it happen)
FOCUS: Bottom line and effect on organization
ASKS: “What return will I get on this investment?”

8. User Buying Influences
ROLE: Judge impact on job performance
Often several or many
Use or supervise the use of your product, service, or solution
Personal because users will live with your solution
Direct link between users’ success and the success of your product, service, or solution
FOCUS: The job to be done
ASKS: “How does this impact my job responsibilities?”

9. Technical Buying Influences
ROLE: Screen out
Often several or many
Judge measurable, quantifiable aspects of your proposal
Gatekeepers
Cannot give final approval
Can say “no” based on specs or technicalities
FOCUS: Match to specifications in their areas of expertise
ASKS: “Does this meet the specified criteria?”

10. Coaches
ROLE: Act as guide for this sale
Proactively develop at least one
A Coach can provide and interpret information about:
Validity of this opportunity
Other Buying Influences
Other elements of your strategic analysis
FOCUS: Your success with this proposal
ASKS: “How can we make this happen?”

11. May be found: In buying organizations In selling organizations
Develop Coaches
May be found:
In buying organizations
In selling organizations
Outside both

12. All three criteria must be met, or you have a Red Flag.
Coach Criteria
You have credibility with this individual
This person has credibility with Buying Influences for this Single Sales Objective
This person wants your solution
All three criteria must be met, or you have a Red Flag.

13. Develop at Least One Coach

14. There are three Degrees of Influence
KEY IDEAS:
Different Buying Influences have varying Degrees of Influence for each Single Sales Objective
There are three Degrees of Influence

15. Three Degrees of Influence

16. Level of Receptivity: Buying Influence Modes
KEY IDEAS:
Every sales proposal is a change
Buying Influence’s views change in different ways
Modes=Buying Influence’s perception of a need for change
Four Modes or perceptions of urgency

17. Probability of taking action is High.
Growth
Probability of taking action is High.
Does your proposal reduce or eliminate the discrepancy?

18. Probability of taking action is High.
Trouble
Probability of taking action is High.
Does your proposal reduce or eliminate the discrepancy?

19. Even Keel
Probability of taking action is Low.
Buying Influence asks, “Why do I need to make a change?”
What is your plan for moving this Buying Influence from Even Keel?

20. Overconfident
Probability of taking action is Nil.
Buying Influence asks, “Who needs your proposal?”
What is your strategy for bringing this Buying Influence to the real world?

21. Ratings
Ratings describe how the Buying Influence feels about your proposed solution.

22. +5 Enthusiastic Advocate +4 Strongly Supportive +3 Supportive
Ratings
+5 Enthusiastic Advocate
+4 Strongly Supportive
+3 Supportive
+2 Interested
+1 Will Go Along
-1 Probably Won’t Resist
-2 Uninterested
-3 Negative
-4 Very Negative
-5 Antagonistic Anti-Sponsor

23. People win in their own ways.
Win-Results
KEY IDEAS:
People win in their own ways.
Your personal Win is different from each Buying Influence’s personal Win.
Categories of Buying Influences tend to look for similar business Results, but each Wins in a personal way.

24. Results Reference Sheet
Economic Buying Influence
Role: final approval, releases $
Focus: bottom line and impact on organization
1. Higher return on investment
2. Increased sales
3. Reduced costs
4. Increased efficiency/productivity
5. Low cost of ownership
6. Flexibility
7. Profitability
8. Smooth cash flow
Technical Buying Influences
Role: judge match to specifications, screen out
Focus: match to specifications in their areas of expertise
1. Meet specifications
2. Exceed specifications
3. Timely delivery
4. Best technical solution
5. Discounts/low bid/price
6. Terms and conditions
7. Meet legal requirements
User Buying Influences
Role: judge product impact on the job
Focus: the job to be done
1. Reliability
2. Increased efficiency
3. Upgrade skills
4. Fulfill performance requirements
5. Best problem solution
6. Do job better/faster/easier
7. Versatility
8. Excellent service
9. Easy to learn and use
Coaches
Role: give data, guide to other Buying Influences
Focus: your success with this proposal
Note: Coaches don’t have their own Results, only Wins. Coaches only have Results if they are playing another Buying Influence role.

25. Wins Reference Sheet • Remain in power • Achieve control over others
• Get more leisure
• Remain in a given location
• Increase skill development
• Increase personal productivity
• Be an instrument of change
• Be looked on as problem solver
• Contribute to the organization
• Increase mental stimulation
• Gain recognition
• Increase growth potential
• Improve social status
• Have more time with family
• Get more power
• Increase self-esteem
• Be more flexible
• Feel more secure or safe
• Put in a quality performance
• Be seen as a leader
• Offer uniqueness
• Pay a debt
• Increase responsibility and authority
• Pursue a lifestyle
• Get more freedom
• Get a promotion
• Make someone indebted
• Autonomy
• Education
• One-upmanship
• Increased confidence
Avoiding a Lose
• Loss of credibility
• Loss of recognition
• Loss of job
• Continuous worry
• Demotion
• Go out of business
• Make boss or associates angry or annoyed
• Ego deflation

26. Types of Competition
Competition is defined as any alternative solution.

27. Competition Worksheet
Instructions:
Identify the main competitors for your Single Sales Objective.
Reference “Competition Strengths and Red Flag Questions” to assess the competitor’s position.
From the Buying Influence’s perspective, capture what he/she sees as the Strengths and Red Flags of each competing solution.
Share and validate your assessment with your team.
Transfer your Strengths and your Red Flags to your Strategic Analysis Sheet.
THEIR
STRENGTHS
RED FLAGS
Competition 1
Competition 2

28. What is Selling Time?
Any time spent face-to-face or phone-to-phone with a Buying Influence talking about Growth or Trouble or asking questions to uncover Growth or Trouble

29. There is never enough selling time.
Sales Funnel
KEY IDEAS:
There is never enough selling time.
Selling priorities and time allocation are two different things.
Every sale requires four kinds of selling work.

30. Define where you are in the selling process
Sales Funnel
A device that can be used as a tool to help focus salespeople and managers
Manage selling time
Define where you are in the selling process
Track Single Sales Objectives
Prioritize selling activities
Balance the four kinds of selling work

31. Cover the Bases Close the Order
Sales Funnel
Prospect
Qualify
Cover the Bases
Close the Order
Data suggests a potential fit
Data suggests a possible order
Data verifies a possible order
Clearly defined next steps Little or no luck involved
Universe
Above the
Funnel
In the
Best Few

32. Strategic Selling® Key Elements
What are we proposing to sell?
What is our current position?
Is the prospect a good match for what we offer?
How does each Buying Influence rate my solution, and what evidence do I have to support this rating?
What does each Buying Influence get out of what I’m proposing?
Who are the Buying Influences, their roles, openness to change, and level of influence?
What are those factors that strengthen my position, and what are those things I need to fix or neutralize?
What are some possible actions we could take to strengthen our position?
What information do we need, and what are the best actions to take, who will do them, and when?

33. Program’s Win-Win goal Individual decision-making process
Conceptual Selling® – Customer-Focused Interactions
An Introduction
Program’s Win-Win goal
Individual decision-making process
Buying Influence’s Concept
Meeting Plan

34. Customer-focused tool to prepare and differentiate
Key Outcomes
Customer-focused tool to prepare and differentiate
Definitions of Buying Influences and their unique decision-making process
Proactive questioning process to secure missing information
Commitment from every customer meeting
A common language and methodology to guide customer interactions

35. Conceptual Selling® Aligns The Buying and Selling Processes
Erin – will need to do builds
SELLING PROCESS
BUYING PROCESS
TARGET PROSPECTS
STATUS QUO
QUALIFY
RECOGNIZE NEED TO CHANGE
RECOGNIZE NEED TO CHANGE
COVER THE BASES
DEFINE PROBLEM
PROPOSAL
EVALUATE OPTIONS
CLOSE
CLOSE
SELECT BEST
FULFILL
IMPLEMENT
UP-SELL AND CROSS-SELL
ASSESS VALUE

36. Joint-Venture Selling

37. Buying Influence’s Concept
Competition
Boss
Organizational Issues
Family
Breaking News
Outsourcing Effectiveness
Losses
Emerging Market Opportunities
Pricing
Managing Through a Downturn
Physical Concerns
Service
Wins
Wants
Political Concerns
Liquidity
Personal-Emotional
Fraud
Business Issues
Make a Contribution
Risk Aversion
Urgency
FIX
ACCOMPLISH
AVOID

38. Valid Business Reason is from the Buying Influence’s Perspective

39. What’s in it for the customer (customer-focused language)
Valid Business Reason
KEY IDEAS
What’s in it for the customer (customer-focused language)
Used at the beginning of every interaction
Two specific uses
– Purpose of the meeting
– Start a meeting
Not optional

40. Action Commitments BEST ACTION COMMITMENT
The best commitment to action that can be expected from the Buying Influence as a result of the meeting
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE ACTION COMMITMENT
The Minimum Acceptable Action Commitment that can be expected from the Buying Influence as a result of the meeting for you to continue to invest in this opportunity
SELLING PROCESS
BUYING PROCESS

41. Action Commitment Guidelines
A Buying Influence’s measurable action is the focus of commitment
Commitments realistic for this:
— Step of the buying process
— Buying Influence’s authority and responsibility
Commitment that moves this sale forward
Best and Minimum are linked
SELLING PROCESS
BUYING PROCESS

42. Professional Credibility
KEY IDEAS:
It is important in every interaction.
People won’t ‘buy’ or co-operate if they don’t trust you.
Having credibility means you are believable and reliable.
Ultimately, credibility must be earned although it may be transferred temporarily.
To satisfy customers, get repeat business and long-term relationships, one must be credible.

43. Getting Information Giving Information Getting Commitment Debrief
Course Overview Day Three – Cont.
Getting Information
Giving Information
Getting Commitment
Debrief
Meeting Plan

44. What are your Strengths?
Unique Strengths
THOUGHT PROCESS:
What are your Strengths?
Which of these Strengths connect to the Buying Influence’s Concept?
Do these strengths create differentiation?
True differentiation happens when the customer sees your value added, and it is unique to his/her solution image.

45. A Basic Issue is a “perceived” personal LOSS.
Basic Issues
KEY IDEAS:
A Basic Issue is a “perceived” personal LOSS.
Only people WIN and LOSE – not corporations.
Objections are not Basic Issues.
Basic Issues normally have nothing to do with you personally.
Uncovering Basic Issues is not an option, it is imperative!

46. Hesitation Questioning attitude Repeated objections Failure to commit
Basic Issue Signals
Hesitation
Questioning attitude
Repeated objections
Failure to commit
Argument
Passive resistance

47. What the customer is trying to fix, accomplish, or avoid.
What we are proposing.
What the customer is trying to fix, accomplish, or avoid.
Developing the proper questions and sequence for a productive meeting
Why the customer should meet with you
Expected outcome of the meeting.
Developing the proper questions to move the pursuit forward
Differentiating your solution