Help Your Salespeople Engage Customers and Overcome Obstacles

August 11, 2009© 2009 The Sales Management Association

Winning at the Whiteboard

Presenter Bio• Walt Becker• Managing Partner• 15+ years consulting &

corporate experience• Citrix Systems, Watson Wyatt,

Blue Peak Consulting, Sibson Consulting, Accenture

Attach a Face to the Voice

• About Sales Messaging• What is a Whiteboard Conversation• Benefits• Design Approach• Implementation • Case Study

Objectives

Sales Messaging: EvolutionFrom To

Communication to customer Engagement of customer

Sales process driven Buying process driven

Disconnected with customer needs Aligned with customer needs

What we offer How what we offer creates an impact

Inconsistently applied Consistently applied

Compelling sales messages create competitive advantage by engaging customers and prospects in thought and/or discussion on the right topics at

the right time during their buying process.

Sales MessagingEvolution

Two Common ChallengesSales MessagingTwo Common Challenges

Two Common ChallengesStructure and Packagi ng Ability and Confidence

• “One-size fits all”• Relatively static• One-way communication• Don’t contribute to skill

building

• Not compelling• Outside comfort zone• Unsure of questions to ask• Reliance on collateral• Speak to feature/func tions

Welcome to the Whiteboard!

Sales MessagingTwo Common Challenges

Whiteboard Conversation: What Is It?

• Semi-scripted conversation structure supported by drawings

• Process, not a pitch• Dialogue, not a

monologue

What me?

Whiteboard ConversationWhat is it?

Whiteboard Conversation ExampleStep 1: Discuss Time and Impact

TIME IMPACT

DRAW A CLOCK AND WRITE TIME• We realize that time is probably your most scarce and valuable resource

DRAW “UPWARD” ARROW AND WRITE IMPACT• We also understand you are constantly challenged to make the most of your time in order to impact

your company’s business results

• You probably have defined goals, established priorities, and initiated efforts to drive the desired impact

• Would you mind sharing with me what some of your top priorities are for this year?• What are some of the things you are doing to achieve your objectives?? ?

Whiteboard ConversationExample

Whiteboard Conversation Example (continued)

WRITE COST• Of course, we can’t evaluate any of these sources of information without considering their cost-effectiveness• Ask the customer about their perspective on the cost effectiveness of each sourceDRAW DOLLAR SIGNS • Compared to other services, our value proposition is extremely cost-effective. Members have expressed the high value they receive for the amount of the

investment. Members in our networks leverage their peer group to obtain insights that drive cost savings, innovation and productivity.

Step 5: Discuss Cost EffectivenessTIME IMPACT

COST

$

$$$

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$$$

ACCESS EASEINSIGHT CUSTOM PEER

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ACCESS EASEINSIGHT CUSTOM PEER

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CONSULTANTS

MEMBER ORGS

INFO PROVIDERS

ASSOCIATIONS

PERSONAL NETWORKS

COMPANY ABC

â â â â â

Whiteboard ConversationExample continued

Whiteboard Conversation Illustrative Conversation Flow

Wrap-upProposeEngageInitiate

• Pre-meeting homework

• Set objectives

• Plan questions

• Determine roles

• Establish context

• Build rapport• Initiate

dialogue• Listen for

“trigger”• Ask for

permission to use whiteboard

Plan

• Begin whiteboard discussion

• Ask questions• Illustrate

conversation• Add customer

thoughts

• Summarize• Discuss

learnings• Propose path

forward

• Agree to next steps

• Confirm timing• Confirm

responsibilities

Illustrative and High Lev el

Whiteboard ConversationIllustrative Conversation Flow

Whiteboard Benefits• Enhances confidence of sales person

• Engages customer in conversation

• Flexes to address unique situation

• Develops credibility with your customer

• Increases your total insight

• Differentiates your sales team

• Enables customer to own the ideas • Generates sponsorship for next steps

Whiteboard Benefits

Whiteboard Applications During Buying Process

Interest Issue/Need Solution

Economic Buyer

Strategic Influencer

Interest

Need Recognition

Strategy

Business Case

Decision

Project Sponsor Evaluation

Illustrative B2B Buying Process

Illustrative Solution Sales Process

Prospect Qualify Educate Confirm Solution Close Penetrate

Assessment

EducationRecommendation

LeadIdentified

Lead Qualified

Strategy Determined

Proposal Submitted

DecisionMade

Sales Stages

Sales Milestones

Awareness

Whiteboard BenefitsPotential Applications During Buying Process

Whiteboard Applications During Buying Process (continued)

Interest Issue/Need Solution

Economic Buyer

Strategic Influencer

Interest

Need Recognition

Strategy

Business Case

Decision

Project Sponsor Evaluation

Illustrative B2B Buying Process

Illustrative Solution Sales Process

Prospect QualifyEducate

Confirm

Solution

Close Penetrate

Assessment

EducationRecommendation

LeadIdentified

Lead Qualified

Strategy Determined

Proposal Submitted

DecisionMade

Sales Stages

Sales Milestones

Awareness

Whiteboard BenefitsPotential Applications During Buying Process continued

Industry trends, value proposition, and portfolio of offerings

Customer strategies,

needs, risks, and benefits

Technical complexities

and challenges

Specific business case

and differentiators

Whiteboard Design: Suggested Resources

Steering CommitteeComposition Accountability

• C-level Sponsor• Sales• Marketing• HR, L&D

• Mandate• Resource allocation• Approval• Commitment

Core Project TeamComposition Accountability

• Project lead• Sales• Marketing• Sales

Operations• Field

Readiness

• Project Management

• Research• Design• Testing• Packaging• Roll-out

planning

Subject Matter ExpertsComposition Accountability

• Best practitioner sales reps

• Product marketing

• Best practices

• Messaging• Feedback• Champion

Test GroupComposition Accountability

• New sales reps

• Experienced sales reps

• Train• Use• Feedback

Whiteboard DesignSuggested Resources

Whiteboard Design: High-Level Approach

Research Story Board

• Obtain SME insights

• Conduct interviews / surveys on challenges

• Consider obtaining customer insights

• Observe SME’s and other best practitioners

• Expand script• Add additional

content (questions, common objection handling, etc.)

Content Finalize

• Draft high-level story board of messages

• Draft visual story and align with messaging

• Conduct mini-training session with test group

• Use and observe in live sales situations

• Obtain input customer council

• Refine Core Team

SME’s

Test Group

Steering Committee Iterate

Whiteboard DesignHigh-Level Approach

Whiteboard Design: Guiding Principles

• Leverage sales managers• Practice, practice, practice• Emphasize flexibility and customization• Reinforce• Measure

Whiteboard ImplementationGuiding Principles

Whiteboard Implementation Process

Learn, Practice, UseEnergize FieldEnable Managers

Reinforce

Measure

• Manager meeting

• Introduction• Demo• Role-playing

• Introduction• SME

comments• Manager

comments• Demo• Small group

discussions• Role-playing• Certification

requirements• Tracking

requirements

• Manager led training• Certification• New hire training

• Celebrate wins• Establish contests• Share experiences

• Certification rates• Usage rates• Impact on results

Whiteboard ImplementationProcess

Whiteboard Implementation Tools

• Guidebooks• Training reference cards• Practice pads• Pocket reference cards• Whiteboard intranet repository• Training videos• Certification requirements• CRM system tracking• Regular Q&A calls• Refresher webinars

Whiteboard ImplementationTools

Whiteboard Implementation Challenges

• Translating marketing “product speak ” into compelling sales messages

• Obtaining agreement on drawings• Limiting number of editing iterations• Ensuring sales managers dedicate suf ficient time to f ield

training• Establishing and enf orcing certification requirements• Driving tracking compliance

Whiteboard ImplementationCommon Challenges

Case Study: Overview

• $1.5 billion enterprise software company• Known for one core product• Grown product portfolio, but difficultly getting

traction with new products• Sales reps had difficulty broadening

conversations• Insufficient cross-selling opportunities

Case StudyOverview

Case Study: Objectives

• Position company point-of-view on future of enterprise computing

• Establish awareness of full product-portfolio and overall value proposition

• Create conversation about prospect’s IT strategy, objectives, and current issues

• Identify cross-selling opportunities

• Deepen existing customer relationships

Case StudyObjectives

Case Study: Whiteboard Snapshot

Picture 1: The Forces of Change

• IT and Applications enable business:– Businesses today run on applications

• Physical and technical distance between users and apps increasing

• Companies facing “perfect storm” of business forces separating users and apps– Business forces increase challenges of

connecting users with apps– Velocity and volatility of business change

continues• Demands on IT organizations to provide

anywhere, anytime access to apps increasing

• Conventional IT strategies make it almost impossible to keep pace with rate of change

Picture 2: The Conventional Approach

• Apps have no value if end users can’t access them

• Successful app implementation requires– Servers– Networks– Security– Systems management– Desktops

• This approach is “Distributed Computing”. – Easy to organize people around technical disciplines– Creates silos– Infrastructure becomes hard to change

• Optimizing silos in distributed computing model does not increase business agility nor change IT’s operating cost dynamics– Agility decreases– IT lacks the flexibility to

change fast enough – Costs (TCO) per user increases – changes

require additional incremental investments in silos

• The distributed computing model becomes a barrier to success….

Picture 3: Turning Data Centers Into Delivery Centers

• Transform datacenters into DELIVERY centers…– CENTRALIZE apps and desktops in one

location and DELIVER them dynamically to end users on-demand

• The model looks like this…. – “App WL” - App workloads dynamically

provisioned as needed to either physical or virtual servers

– “App UI” - WINDOWS apps are either VIRTUALIZED or streamed to the user

– WEB apps OPTIMIZED for performance & security

– “Desktop”- Desktops virtualized in datacenter and delivered dynamically on-demand to end users

– Desktops and apps are now SEPARATED– “PC” - DELIVERY NETWORK optimized to

deliver apps and desktops to users– “Orchestrate” – Tools make it easy to compose

workflows that ORCHESTRATE the delivery process

22

Case StudyWhiteboard Snapshot

Case Study: Implementation Summary

• Rolled out at January global sales meeting – over 1,300 sales people• Small-group role playing and training• Established certification requirements and timing• Provided managers with training tool kit• Created “Whiteboard Central”• Conducted regular webinars and Q&A sessions• Ran a Whiteboard Challenge contest• Created case studies on and celebrated big wins• Tracked whiteboard conversations in Salesforce.com• Measured adoption, certification, and impact on pipeline• Incorporated whiteboard training in new hire orientation program

Case StudyImplementation Summary

Case Study: Results

• 86% of quota-carrying sales roles certified in first three months

• Overall pipeline increased over 30% in first six months

• Opportunities for non-core products increased over 100% year over year

• Increased win rate in accounts where a whiteboard conversation occurred at least once

Case StudyResults

© 2009 The Sales Management Association

Discussion

© 2009 The Sales Management Association

Thank youTriligi Consulting, LLC+1 561 477-2946www.triligi.com

Contact Walt Becker