The Pathway to becoming a successful sales person in the new age of selling

1. The Pathway to becoming a successful sales person in the new age of selling Presented by Dick Ryan, President & CEO ZweigWhite

2. Today’s Most Effective Sales Professionals: • Can build and manage a CRM database with a top 100 perspective • Can develop action plans and build relationships to increase business for existing clients • Can create a communications plan to keep in touch with clients on a timely basis

3. Client Relationships - Why Care? • Growth matters – central to strategy of the business. • 80% of core revenues comes from existing customers. • Participation in business development amplifies organizational leverage. • Feeding the firm a high order employee value.

4. Why Business Development? (Secret): BD leads to DB. • Development of business leads to growth. • Growth leads to company development. • Development leads to profitability. • Profitability leads to sustainability. • Sustainability leads to a future, legacy.

5. First Law of BD Success Business development (sales and marketing)is a role, not a title. Everyone has a part. • The effort is a process / project. • Definable talents and skills • Plan, schedule, and budget • Management, leadership

6. Key BD Focus Areas For Account Managers and Staff • Do superb work. • Build client relationships. (All the rest are details).

7. Relationship Types Four Types of Relationships Breadth of Business Issues Trust-Based Relationship-Based Needs-Based Offering-Based Depth of Personal Relationship

8. Client Focus BD Project: The 80% Part Strengthening Existing Client Relationships

9. Client Focus “Treat the customer as an appreciating asset.” Tom Peters

10. Why Do Your Clients Buy? • Is it you? • People buy from people • People buy from companies • Quality and service • Switching costs too high • Aversion to risk • No other choices

11. Existing Client List • Who are the top ten clients? • How are they ranked? • What’s different about the next ten? • Hidden costs – is everything in the assessment? • Actual today vs. account potential? • Doing things right or doing the right things?

12. Client Customizing Planning • How much do you really know? • Researching client background • Beyond business and backlog • Other considerations • Client vision, values, priorities • People and organization • Key issues, objectives and strategies • Risk aversion

13. Seek First To Understand “To be a bullfighter, you must first learn to be a bull.”

14. Client Customizing Planning • Communications Calendar • Press releases • Newsletters • E-updates • Bulletins and papers • People updates • Business development letters • Client industry information

15. Client Customizing Planning • Activities Calendar • Office visits (sales calls) • Lunch meetings • Lunch and learns • In-house seminars • Open houses • Sporting events • Conferences and trade events

16. A Communications Network • Database of key contacts (existing client organizations) • Current customers and prospects • Internal associates • Third party contacts • Technology platform considerations

17. Effective Account Manager • Again a role, rather than a title. • Focus on the account, rather than the manager. • Account as in accountable. • Manager vs. management • A leadership role – the “conscience” of the firm.

18. Communications Strategy • Consistent, meaningful frequency. • During project work – weekly update • Without project work – once per month / quarter • Achieve clarity and cohesion. • Over-communicate? – no such thing as too much. • A sustainable differentiator for the firm (and yourself).

19. BD Project: The 20% Part Developing New Client Relationships

20. Second Law of BD Success Feed the client, and you will always be full. • A skill that will always be special. • Higher order value than technical competency alone.

21. Segmentation and Targeting • Who do you want to work with? • Firm and personal needs, interests • Target client profile • How the firm makes money • In the marketplace, who should know about you? • Capabilities, competencies, expertise, experience • The duty to market

22. New Prospect Targeting • Target markets, segments, geographies. • Identify the top 10 prospects, then the next ten. • How many is too many? • What you can keep up with • Quality verses quantity • Quantity does help – a numbers game • Add to CRM database – one population, clients and prospects

23. What to Say – Message • Elevator speech • Firm mission, vision and key objectives • Personal mission, plans and passions • This elevator ride – how many floors? • What do prospects care about? • Research specific markets, industries and companies • Trade associations, web sites, networking

24. Elevator Speech At ZweigWhite we work with AEC firms to help them reach for their ultimate potential. We are the business information and insight experts for architecture, engineering, and construction. We collaborate with clients to build exciting growth strategies and action plans - through strategic business planning, leadership development, marketing and business development consulting and training.

25. A Compelling Message “In the factory, we make cosmetics; in the store we sell hope.” Charles Revson

26. Take Action Now! – Ten Implementation Steps • Refresh personal CRM database with 100 top clients and prospects (start with ten and then grow). • Develop your bio (not resume or a project list). • Compile or start collecting personal and firm references and testimonials. • Develop, write, and memorize your elevator speech. • Build an action plan for an existing client.

27. Take Action Now! – Ten Implementation Steps • Send out weekly updates on all active projects. • Communicate with all other clients once per month to once per quarter. • Start researching new clients / prospects in business magazines and journals...on the Internet. • Join and participate in at least two professional (trade, business or service) organizations. • Now, go talk to clients…

28. Contact Information Dick Ryan President & CEO ZweigWhite 330 N. Wabash Street Suite 3201 Chicago, IL 60611 Phone: 312.628.5870 dryan@zweigwhite.com