Sales Qualification To Execution. A simple, powerful process to start with.

During my sales career, I have been exposed to nearly every sales training available, including #meddic, #challenger, #sandler and others.? However, what has served myself the best was a simple exercise I learned from Bart Queen. ?It can be used to for deals of all sizes and for any type of product, service or even situation. ??

I love the simplicity of the exercise and clarity it provides, and in attempt to help others in the sales community, I have outlined below an example of the process with commentary..trying my best to be brief.

1. The Prospect's Opportunity Statement. This could be the goals of a company, department or even an individual's MBO. ??Before even talking with the prospect, you should form your own thesis…this will serve as your starting placemat.?

Example:

"There is a CEO mandate to grow revenue 20% by globally expanding from the US and launching mobile apps into Europe and Asia Pac."

Accomplishes two key things early on:

• Learn their language: Open’s the dialogue with the prospect on their terms, not the product you are selling.? Early on you are there to listen and learn their language, not sell your product.
• Scope and Size: Now you know the scope, size, and urgency of the opportunity. ??Net, net, it’s real, not just a wish list.

2. Prospect Challenge Statement or "what keeps them up at night". ?This is your invitation to test your thesis and start to collaborate with the prospect and get them to open up.

?Example:

"As a Product Organization, we have the technical capabilities to deploy to any market, however we will fail unless we can test our products in every new country at scale and at the pace expected."

Now you have:

• Clarified the problem:? You can use their language and map your product / service to specifically solve what they has said is important to them.
• Defined scope responsibility of your champion:? You now understand what the person you are working with cares about and what you can reasonably expect them to help you with.?

3.?Sell Statement or “Why you”.? ?Now you get to begin talking about your product, but it is in the context and language of the prospect.? Natural and easy for anyone, regardless of function or role to understand. ?

Example:

"At ACME, we are the leaders in global, in market testing and can scale in weeks QA testers on any device, OS across a diversity of use cases.?

Based on our experience with your peer group and more importantly what we have learned about your current capabilities, we suggest the following three steps."

You have clarified your solution, potential value and defined your leadership in the space to credibly drive the “what’s next” process:

• Qualified if your solution is a fit or if you need to adjust
• Begin qualifying the value of your product/service.? This can take many forms including scope, timing, urgency, competition.
• Earned credibility and the right to start setting terms of the process.? If they are not responsive, you either are working with the wrong person, they have a solution or they simply are not ready.
• You can now forecast internally the value of the deal and resources needed…nothing worse than a salesperson demanding resources without the people you need understanding the why or what the value of an opportunity is.

Recap and Example Slides

Below is an example set of headlines for a customer presentation using the concepts above. Keep the headline slides to a max of two slides with detailed slides to follow. And plan the meeting for a max of 90 minutes, expecting to 15 to 30 minutes to be taken up with people settling in and introductions..meaning you have 60-75 minutes of real discussion. Real success will be if all you do is spend your time on the headline slides as this will let you know your customer is really engaged.

?Headline #1: Prospect Goals and Opportunity:

As we understand the companies goals:

• Expected revenue will grow by 20% this year
• This will be done through global expansion outside of the US and deploying mobile apps into Europe and Asia Pac. Including 10 new languages in 30 new countries.

Headline #2 Prospect Challenge Statement:

Based on what we have learned in working with the Product team there is real concern that current capabilities will not be able to meet the company’s goals as they lack -

• Localized QA resources and the required devices and payment methods needed
• Scale to meet required timelines
• Required expertise in required markets

Headline #3: “Why You” Statement:

At ACME, we are uniquely positioned to test in every market required and at the scale required to meet the timelines that have been shared.?

?Based on what we have learned from your team combined with our experience with your peer group (you need to verbally be able to drop stories here), we are prepared to present a proposal to discuss and validate with you that includes

(These are the content slides to follow that drive discussion and real alignment:)

• Side 1:? Assessment of Capabilities or Gap Analysis
• Slide 2: Proposed Solution Plan and Key Dates/Events
• Slide 3: Financial Alignment, with potential options (RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD)

I hope this helps and I am not doing Bart Queen justice, so tag him to learn more!

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