In a previous newsletter, we discussed High Performance Selling with a focus on inside sales. In this newsletter, we will discuss High Performance Selling for the customer-facing Sales Executive.
As a recap, High Performance Selling is devoted to learning and practicing professional consulting skills in business-to-business, Business to Consumer, and Inside Sales context.
Sales Competency Profile
Here is a typical way of visualizing the sales competency profiling building process. Think of it as:
• What is the issue/opportunity that must be addressed? (Developing vision and purpose)
• How will I get my team aligned and committed? (Gaining organizational commitment)
• How do I turn intent into business results? (Achievement)
• The competency profile describes the “right stuff” the sales executive must have to get the job done.
This building process takes place in all three scenarios.
1. Business-to-business,
2. Business to Consumer,
3. Inside Sales
The sales process is advanced through a series of stages or steps commonly known as pipeline or funnel management to achieve the desired outcomes with customers. There are many different variations and processes to manage the funnel. The common denominator is: A; you have a funnel or pipeline; B, you manage the entire process; and C, as in all great journeys, it starts with the first step.
Here is the funnel I like to use.
The process of targeting potential companies, qualifying prospects, and moving through the Consultative Sales Process is called pipelining or funnel management.
The sales process is advanced through a series of stages, or steps to achieve the desired outcomes with customers.
Generating leads, weeding out the suspects, understanding who the prospects are, and developing and onboarding customers who can generate revenue is both an art and a science. Let’s focus on this “FIRST STEP.”
Prospect Planning.
• Prospect planning is the foundation of your business. Even if you are an expert at needs assessment, designing perfect solutions, presenting, and closing, you will never reap the rewards of more sales unless you have a critical mass of prospects.
What is a Prospect?
• Prospects are not companies. The prospects are people. In today’s business world, where decision making is often team-based, you may need to sell to multiple prospects to sell the business.
Prospects Include:
1. Gatekeepers: People who have no buying authority but who control access to those that do.
2. Information Providers: People who gather information for decision makers or who can provide critical information for you.
3. Influencers: People who have access to the buying authority and can influence their decision.
4. Decision Makers: People who can make the decision to buy.
5. Buyers: People who have the financial authority to buy.
Inexperienced salespeople often waste valuable time dealing with non-prospects. Unless people you are talking with are gatekeepers, information providers, influencers, decision makers, or buyers, you are wasting your time.
Asking key questions to determine if people in your target companies are prospects is called qualifying. A name is only a suspect, not a prospect. Selling is about moving from suspect to prospect to customer.
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I have broad experiences to share that can help others as they grow and take on new challenges. During my time as president of UPS Supply Chain Solutions, I integrated over 20 acquisitions that became UPS Supply Chain Solutions. I steered UPS’s entry into the health care industry and created the mantra, “It’s a patient, not a package. ®” With the ability to see a clear vision of the changing business landscape, the passion to develop strategies, tactics, and metrics to drive desired results, and the passion to develop the Best, The Brightest, Most Informed, and Best People in the industries they serve.
Please give me a call today at 610-322-0720 or email at
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THE LEADERSHIP LIBRARY PODCAST SEASON 8
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TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS: THE PRINCIPLES OF
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