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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
Merged Selling is a
completely new way to approach the sales process and the seller/client
relationship which will lead to happier
clients, more repeat business and longer-lasting, more profitable
relationships.
This is the first segment in a four-segment series I'm writing on a
concept I call "Merged Selling". Now before you doze off,
or assume this is just more training mumbo-jumbo from Bennett...please
read this....I think it might be one of the more unique concepts I've
managed to pull out of my ape-like brain.
Merged Selling is about changing the way we view sales and the
seller/client relationship. We have been trained to see see TWO SIDES
of sales:
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We think there
are two sides in the sales process -- the BEFORE the sale happens
and the AFTER the sale happens
-
We also think
there are two sides in the seller / client relationship -- with the
seller on one side and the client on the other side
Merged Selling is all about wiping away those distinctions, and
merging the two sides into one process...into one relationship.
It's about forming a real "partnership" with the client in order to
achieve everyone's objectives.
In this first segment we're going to look at merging the sales
process. In the next segments we'll address merging the
seller/client relationship and forming that true partnership.
The Traditional
"Two-Sided" Approach to the Sales Process:
-
We have a tendency to see two sides
of the sales process...BEFORE THE SALE -- when we're working to
close the client...and AFTER THE SALE -- when the client takes
ownership of the product and begins to use it...
-
Salespeople focus almost
exclusively on the BEFORE THE SALE. This is where we invest
most of our time, attention and resources. We contact the
client repeatedly, we create proposal after proposal, we wine and
dine the client...all with one end goal in mind -- CLOSE THE
BUSINESS
-
Clients focus almost exclusively on
the AFTER THE SALE. This is when they get a chance to put your
product or service into use within their lives. This is when
they benefit from the advertising they've purchased...or the sports
tickets they've bought...or the training program they've booked.
-
Unfortunately, salespeople
invest VERY little time after the sale, just when clients are
getting excited about owning the product or service. But what
if the product doesn't work like it's supposed to? What if the
client doesn't use the product or service properly?
-
There are several problems
with this two-sided approach...problems that make forming a
partnership almost impossible.
-
PROBLEM #1:
Sellers and clients are focused in entirely different areas...and
clients will soon sense this and become very turned-off and
unwilling to invest more in the future...
-
PROBLEM #2: The
chances are pretty high that the client won't use the product or
service they've purchased for maximum gain...and this will reflect
in poor results and a frustrated client...and when it doesn't work
right THEY'LL BLAME THE SELLER..
The Merged Selling
Approach to the Sales Process:
-
What I'm suggesting is that we, as
salespeople, see the BEFORE and AFTER the sale as ONE PROCESS that
starts with before and moves into after seamlessly... the signal we
want to send is that we will care as much, IF NOT MORE, about what
happens after the client takes ownership as we do about us closing
the deal!
-
So how do we do that?
-
We need to talk about the "after
the sale" during the "before the sale" process. This means
you'll be saying things like:
-
"Assuming you were to go ahead with this program, Bob...tell me
about how you would put some of these features into action
within your business?"
-
"Bob, let's do some planning for what would happen after you
start with us, assuming that you do of course...who would you
envision using this service?"
-
You will want to schedule visits after the sale, showing the
client that you're not going to go away, leaving them on their
own...
-
We need to come up with a
"Maximization Plan", which is really an "Owners Manual" for your
product or service. This maximization plan can be as simple
as a series of check-lists or suggestions for using the product,
or as sophisticated as a nicely printed piece. Here are some
tips for creating a Maximization Plan:
-
Work with the client after
they've purchased the product, helping them implement your
Maximization Plan. This could mean going over the
check-list, talking with their salespeople, and giving them tools
to use your product more efficiently
-
There are several positive things
that will come from this approach:
-
Clients will like you and trust
you much more...BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT...
-
Clients will share in the
responsibility of the product working...if there are problems, you
can at least say, "Now did you follow the steps we outlined in the
maximization plan?"
-
You will have reason to contact
the client after the sale (other than just the selfish reason of
selling them more). If you sell an annual contract, you'll
want to have several pre-scheduled client update meetings during
the year...where you're just checking up on the program. Of
course the simple fact that you're there to help WILL LEAD TO
ADDITIONAL SALES AND LONGER TERM RELATIONSHIPS
This is one of those concepts that when you read it you think..."Wow...that
makes so much sense...why doesn't everyone do it?"
Well you're right...it DOES make sense...and it DOES work to form
longer, more profitable sales relationships...but DOING IT ISN'T EASY.
Why Don't Most
People Do This?
-
Unfortunately, most salespeople
just don't care...they're focused so much on their own needs...the
BEFORE THE SALE...
-
Salespeople don't think about the
fact that client's are clueless about how to use their products and
services...WE ASSUME THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING...
-
It takes time, effort and more
work. There's no doubt that selling in this fashion takes more
time -- following-up after the sale...creating a maximization plan,
etc. And many sellers simply aren't interested in putting in
the extra effort.
WAKE UP!!!! This is your
opportunity folks! You can rest assured that if you'll
address the sales process in this fashion...if you'll put in the extra
time and effort...if you'll see the two-sided process as really one
process...if you'll spend as much time in the AFTER THE SALE as you do
in the BEFORE THE SALE....YOU WILL BE
SUCCESSFUL BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS.
In the next segment we'll cover how we can start to use Merged Selling
to wipe away the barriers between the roles of SELLER and CLIENT.
Exercises for the Week:
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Develop a basic "Maximization
Plan" for every piece of inventory, or service, you sell
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Ask a client you're currently
selling about how they envision using your product should they
decide to go ahead and purchase it...
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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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