What can sales teams do to improve your odds of winning “the deal?”
I had an interesting conversation this week with experienced sales professionals. We debated if sales teams can accelerate the sales cycle through the customers buying journey. Here are a few things that notably move the needle:
1. Discover the problem and impact. Simply ask why change and why now?
2. Build relationships with key decision-makers. Understand their competing agendas. Complex deals often involve multiple decision-makers. It's important to build relationships with all the key decision-makers, not just your traditional buyers.?
3. Focus on the unique business value (UBV) your offering provides for your customer. It is important to note this is likely different from account to account. One size does NOT fit all.
4. Understand the buyer’s vendor and solution selection criteria; this may be a 2-phased evaluation process.
5. Know what’s in it for me (the buyer), the organization, and how this provides your customer a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
6. Thoughtfully share the right content at the right time with the right people.
7. Anticipate objections. Be prepared to answer these objections concisely. If you can't answer an objection, don't be afraid to say so and offer to get back to the customer with an answer.
8. Create differentiation from your competition. Avoid “me too” messaging.
?????????????a. Watch out for Do Nothing Incorporated (DNI).
?????????????b. Status quo looms large; it may be easier to not change.
9. Identify why you may lose this opportunity. Put your executive team to work asking them to help you mitigate the risk.
10. Work on opportunities you can win. Walk away from bad business. Fail fast!
?What do you have to add to the conversation-what can sales teams do to increase their odds of winning?
Regional Sales Manager | President's Club Member | Comcast Business | Form. US Army Officer
1 年Fail fast! Glad I read this. Thanks for sharing, Scott.
Independent Information Technology Consultant | Business Technology and Marketing Sales Executive | SaaS | Security | UCaaS | CCaaS | AI | Professional Services | Network Technology | SDWAN
1 年The process outlined above or whatever process you have - understand you need a replicable framework (process) first. Most important is that the sale is iterative - think organic and needing constant revaluation of the steps in the process. Complex sales take time, time impacts qualification factors and even funding of the project. ABC, Always Be Checking your qualifications of the problem, solution, decision makers, and funding.