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Welcome to: Advanced Sales Skills for Experienced Technology Salespeople Presented by: Bill Sharer, MBA, CTS Exxel Management and Marketing Corp Lambertville, NJ. Today’s Theme. The professional does not succeed just by winning the sale .
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Welcome to: Advanced Sales Skills for Experienced Technology Salespeople Presented by: Bill Sharer, MBA, CTS Exxel Management and Marketing Corp Lambertville, NJ
Today’s Theme The professional does not succeed just by winning the sale. You succeed only when the entire project succeeds. Therefore, the pro does what it takes to sell jobs that can—and will—succeed. Principles that work take work
Measures of Work Quantity Quality Time Cost
Measures of Work Quantity Quality * Time Cost
Our Agenda • Understand the bigger and better sale • Improve tools for better sales to: • Deal with different “buyers” • Expand and Refine discovery skills • Achieve recurring revenue • Manage your networking • Improve your processes and your margins • Sell successful jobs
Today’s Professional • Sells a job that can succeed • Asks enough of the right questions to assure that people who follow can succeed • Doesn’t undervalue labor (No other industry does this like we do!) • Engages the client at every step (Site survey, scope of work, kickoff meetings, etc.) • Leaves nothing to chance in documentation • Doesn’t create the “Sale from Hell”
Anatomy of an Enterprise Sale • Impacts the total organization • Purchased by C-level executives • Tends to be large, high-ticket sale • Invariably relationship-based • Frequently produces recurring revenue • More service content than product • Demands different and better sales skills • Often requires economic justification • Requires connection to network
Enterprise Dynamics Strategic rather than tactical Impact the entire organization Represent more important decisions more people affected more money at stake longer-term consequences Must consider the “Big Picture” Business agendas are directly impacted Test your business acumen
Typical Enterprise Sales Computers and Software Insurance and banking services Telephony/communications/security systems Digital Signage Contracted services (e.g. maintenance, staffing, etc.) National account purchases (e.g. fleet sales) Consulting services Technology: connected to the network Note: All these enable recurring revenue!
Typical Enterprise Sale Prospects Large university Substantial corporations Major hospital or healthcare organization Large law firm Government entity/agency Other “bigs” with multiple (maybe global) locations International Not-for-Profit
Relationship Sale Windowof Opportunity % 0 TIME
Partner Understand Org issues Understand Client Industry Consultant Contributor Understand Client Business Preferred Supplier Know Application/Functionality Vendor Good Product/Service Account Relationship Management
More Professional Sales Capability Comfortable with C-level executives Know more about the client’s business Move to an “industry consultant” level Advanced listening and discovery skills Focus on applications and services Know enterprise challenges and objectives More team selling
What “C-Level” Executives Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/President Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Chief Information Officer (CIO) Assorted Vice Presidents
President/Chief Executive Officer Achieve all strategic organizational goals Long-term planning Board and stakeholder relations Corporate image Corporate culture Market competitiveness Size and quality of staff/continuity Return on investment
Chief Information/Technology Officer Strategic network effectiveness Communications/information infrastructure Enterprise-wide systems (CRM, ERP, others) Systems implementation and maintenance Organizational control Future requirements for technology Security and disaster recovery
Chief Financial Officer Long-term organizational financing Asset management Banking relationships and credit facilities Governance, compliance, audit functions Return on capital employed Economic justification Overall cost containment/reduction Capital budgets and planning
The New Discovery Paradigm Enterprise Sales Raise the Bar Client Engagement is Crucial High-Gain, Open Questions Discovery Requirements The Project The People The Processes
Project Questions • What are your expectations for this project? • What functionality must it provide? • What kinds and how much use will it get? • Where are you in your investigation ? • What documentation is available (Scope, RFP, etc.) • What’s the project timetable? • When could we visit the site(s) together? • What’s your experience with projects like this? • From your experience, what’s unusual or different about this project?
People Questions • Who in addition to you will be involved in decisions? • Tell me a little about your inhouse staff capabilities. • Who else will it be important for us to meet? • Who are our points of contact? • What other key players are involved (e.g. real estate, architects, consultants, etc.)
Process Questions • How far along are you in your budgeting process? • How does your procurement process work? • What’s the best way to communicate with you? • What should we know about the way you prefer to do things like this? • What , if any, particular sensitivities to people or processes should we know about?
Source unknown It isn’t one of yours
Good Scope of Work • Purpose/System Functional Requirements • Scope Statement and project overview • Assumptions: Facts, not hopes • Milestones and Responsibilities for each • Project and Change Management Procedures • Contract Type and Pricing • Terms and Conditions • Lets you bill and collect for all your work • Describes what’s in scope and what is out (if you don’t say it’s out the client thinks it’s in)
Recurring Revenue • The “new” business model: all about service(s) • A huge overlooked opportunity • Lesson learned from the IT guys • Places proper value on labor • Keeps you in front of the client • Perfect fit with the enterprise sale • Make it a default on every substantial install
Typical Services • Design and engineering • Programming • Project Management • Installation • Training • Commissioning • Break/fix , PM, warranty • Staffing • Security • Building management • Remote monitoring • Telecommunications • Consulting • Content creation • Infrastructure cabling Integration-related Additional possibilities
Networking Thoughts • Be systematic and disciplined about networking • Even farmers need to hunt: At minimum “mine” your existing accounts • Learn how to use social networks, don’t just join • Attend one networking event per month • Keep contacts fresh and active. (No one over 12 is impressed with 500 Facebook friends)
Where to Go From Here • Principles that work take work • Your “assignments:” • Learn the world your clients live in • Create and write your best discovery questions • Identify recurring revenue opportunities and make them part of your plan • Review your Scopes of Work for Quality • Develop a networking strategy and stick to it • Identify opportunities for mining major accounts
Thank You for Attending! Enjoy the Showcase! Achieve Better Sales! Bill Sharer, MBA, CTS, Partner Navigate Management Consulting bill.sharer@navigatemc.com 609.397.0933