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Segment 1: Merged Selling As It Relates to the Sales Process
Segment 2: Merged Selling As It Relates to the Seller/Client
Relationship
Segment 3: How to Develop Long-term Engagements With Larger Dollar
Commitments
Week 4: Dealing With Challenges and Obstacles to Merged Selling
Past Training Tips
Non-Verbal Communication
Negotiation Strategies That Win
Merged Selling
The Art of Renewing a Client
Time Maximization Strategies
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"Merged Selling"
How to Remove the Barriers Between Seller and
Client to
Forge Unique "Partnerships"
-By Greg Bennett
Segment 4: Dealing
With Challenges and Obstacles to Merged Selling
In the first three segments of this series on "Merged
Selling" I went on and on about all the all cool and wonderful
things that can come from selling in this enlightened fashion --
better relationships, longer-term clients, more money, etc etc.
While those are all great outcomes to think about, getting there
isn't always easy.
In this last segment in the series, I'm going to do a
major "buzz kill" by bringing up some of these challenges and
obstacles one can face with Merged Selling. But not to worry,
I won't leave you hanging (sorry, I've been listening to my teenage
daughters too much as of late) -- I'll also review some
strategies on how to address these concerns and problems and move
confidently ahead
First, a quick overview of "Merged Selling" (if
you're too lazy or just don't care to read the prior segments).
Basically merged selling is all about wiping away the perceived
barriers between client and salesperson,
and between before and after the
execution of the sale.
So what we have is basically a "partnership", where both parties are
working together to maximize the investment involved over the
long-haul.
Challenges Coming From Clients:
-
Clients don't trust salespeople enough to
form "partnerships" -- this will be the most
common area of struggle as the thought of "not trusting a
salesperson" is pretty well steeped in our culture.
Clients may have even heard a salesperson in the past say, "Hey,
I'll be there after you buy...I promise"...only to discover the
truth, that the salesperson is like every other
one-night-stander out there...he gets what he wants and moves
on...
-
How to Deal:
-
To keep the crude analogy going (and why
not at this point?) - how would you convince a
potential date that you are not interested in entering
into another one-night-stand situation? Well, (if
I remember right)...I guess you'd talk about the other
person much more and not about yourself. You'd
talk about your long term plans, and ask about the other
person's plans, etc. etc.
-
You need to articulate early and often
how you and your process are different...starting with
saying (back to business now, though it would work with dating
I suppose) "We're not right
for every situation..."
-
Explain why it's better for the client
to form long-term partnerships...and that's why you do
it...show some success stories, maybe some case studies
showing successful outcomes from good relationships,
etc.
-
This may come as a shock to you, but not
everyone in business should be in business...there are a
lot of people out there who are CLUELESS about what they should
be doing...and aren't open to ideas and concepts from a
"salesperson", especially one who wants to form a partnership.
It's all just too threatening to this type of client because
they think they know everything...
-
Clients, like most everyone else, are
creatures of habit -- they like to buy the way they've
always bought...even if it's not the smartest way to approach
the buying situation...
-
How to Deal:
-
Start slowly by at least TALKING about
long-term plans, even if we're not presenting long-term
proposals...
-
Expand their comfort zone a little at a
time...try taking them from a one-buy-at-a-time
situation into two or three consecutive deals back-to-back...then
gradually move them toward an annual situation
Our Own Internal Challenges:
-
We go for what's immediately available
-- instead of taking the time to form a relationship and
talk long-term strategy (which means making an investment in
time, energy and caring in the client's condition), we are
tempted to take the easy route and fall in line with the rest of
the sellers out there...pitching and taking the immediate
dollars only
-
How to Deal:
-
Keep in mind that you can still circle
back and talk about the immediate opportunities AFTER
you've talked long-term partnership potential
-
In fact you'll find it's much easier to
close on the immediate deal, if you'll fist ignore it
and discover whether you're even right for the client at
all
-
We get pressured by management to "sell
something now" -- short-sighted management cares only
about what you've brought in the door that day...and not the
type of client you've brought in the door. They don't care
about growing good, new clients...they only care about selling
stuff to someone...ANYONE.
-
How to Deal
-
What we (sellers and managers alike in
this scenario) don't understand is that just because
we're talking long-term partnership, doesn't mean we
won't be closing on something NOW...
-
This is something you, as the
salesperson, must realize -- just because you're
discussing an annual program...doesn't mean we have to
walk away empty handed today!!!!!
-
Again...the ironic part is, if you ignore
talking about the immediate kill now, and instead focus
on the long-term...you may end up walking away with
both!!!
-
It's very hard to do the opposite...sell
the immediate, THEN talk long-term...people become very
wary after they've purchased once...
This ends the series on Merged
Selling. I hope you've grasped what I'm trying to communicate in
this area...that there is a tremendous opportunity to separate
yourself from the flock of one-night-stand-sellers by taking the
time and effort required to
form long-lasting, profitable partnerships that will create not only
more business for you...but more overall job satisfaction.
===============================================================
Greg
Bennett, a partner in the innovative brand expansion and
consulting organization, Altitude Premium Consulting, LLC, has been one of the top sales and sales management
trainers in professional sports and entertainment since 1988. He
has created and delivered training programs for over 80+ professional
sports teams and leagues, along with several Fortune 500
companies. Altitude Premium Consulting provides training as
well as the creation of premium-branded goods for pro sports teams,
entertainment companies and
corporate sponsors, and is in a
partnership relationship with Kroenke Sports Enterprises,
owners of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Pepsi Center, the
Colorado Mammoth and several other sports and entertainment entities
throughout the United States. Bennett can be reached at (303)
405-6110, or you can email Greg directly at gbennett@pepsicenter.com
.
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Altitude
Premium Consulting,
LLC
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