JUMPSTARTING YOUR WIN-LOSS ANALYSIS PROGRAM

Ryan Sorley, Founder DoubleCheck ResearchRyan.sorley@doublecheckresearch.com@SorleyRyan

RYAN SORLEY, FOUNDERDOUBLECHECK RESEARCH (Concord, MA)

Background: • Research, Sales, and Buyer Insight Veteran

- VP Sales, Supply Chain, Gartner- VP Sales, Retail & Manufacturing, AMR

Research- Strategic Accounts, Forrester

• 16 years supporting end-user decision makers

TODAY’SAGENDA • GROUP INTRODUCTIONS

• DEFINING WIN-LOSS ANALYSIS• HOW BENEFITS ARE REALIZED• GROUP DISCUSSION-KEY TOPICS• RESOURCES

GROUP INTRODUCTIONS

• YOUR BACKGROUND?• WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH WIN-LOSS

ANALYSIS?• WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GAIN FROM THE

DISCUSSION?

Win-loss analysis is the process of systematically collecting and analyzing buyer insights to better understand what factors contribute to the buyers

decision making process.

The goal of most win-loss programs is to leverage buyer insights to support ongoing continuous improvement

efforts and improve overall win rates.

“…Those that take a more comprehensive approach have seen a 15% to 30% increase in revenue and up to

50% improvement in win rates…” Gartner 2014

DEFININGWIN-LOSS ANALYSIS

PROGRAM BENEFITSRESULT FROM

BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE BUYING PROCESS• End-to-end buying process • Key influencers • Selection criteria

SALES FORCE DEVELOPMENT• Salesperson traits • Salesperson skills • Knowledge

MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS• Brand awareness • Marketing investments • Lead generations

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT• Future client needs • Functional gaps • Pricing model

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE• Future client needs • Functional gaps • Pricing model

ESTABLISHING PROGRAM GOALS

PROGRAM OWNERSHIP

DESIGNING SMART QUESTIONS

SELECTING THERIGHT INTERVIEWER

TIMING FOR BEST RESULTS

GAININGSALES BUY-IN

SETTING CLIENT EXPECTATIONS

CAPTURINGTHE INSIGHTS

SHARINGTHE FINDINGS

GROUP DISCUSSION TOPICS

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PROGRAM OWNERSHIP

Mid-level sponsorshipMarketing and sales share ownership

Senior-leader sponsorshipDedicated MI/CI function ownership

No true program sponsorNo true program owner

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GAININGSALES BUY-IN

Sales is informed but has no input into the process. Sales is slow to accept.

Sales finds out about the program from their clients. This causes confusion, concern, and a general lack of program acceptance.

Sales is involved in development/planning process. Sales and leadership back program and acknowledge the benefits.

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ESTABLISHING PROGRAM GOALS

Identify key win-loss data trends across deals to be used for planning purposes.

Determine why a specific deal was lost. Win the deal back.

Improve overall win rates. Determine how our buyers buy, key business drivers, program metrics/goals, desired partner and sales attributes.

Standard questions coupled with the ability to introduce second and third-level probing questions based on responses.

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DESIGNING SMART QUESTIONS

Standard set of questions that address the needs of key internal stakeholders (OL+INT)

Non-standardized questions making it difficult to identify trends

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SELECTING THE RIGHT INTERVIEWER

Product marketing, CI, MI functions

Independent interviewer

Direct sales team including leadership

Interviews occur within 1-2 month of decision date. Strike while the iron’s hot.

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TIMINGFOR BEST RESULTS

Interviews occur within 3 monthsof decision date.

Timeframe is inconsistent—many interviews in excess of 3 months post-decision.

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SETTINGCLIENT EXPECTATIONS

Client is contacted post-decision by sales to request and schedule interview.

Client is not informed of the post-decision interview process.

Client approval gained and expectations set during the sales process.

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CAPTURINGTHE INSIGHTS

Insights are captured from sales via CRM— Buyer insights captured are kept in central DB

Insights may be communicated verbally to others or written up via email

OL survey results housed in tool with reporting capabilities—Interviews recorded, transcribed, edited and housed in same tool or database

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SHARING THE FINDINGS

Findings are centrally housed and use is restricted to key activities (QBRs)

Findings remain at a sales level and are not shared across the organization

Findings are openly shared and leveraged across the organization from sales enablement to marketing, product development to partner management and other areas.

ASSOCIATIONS

• SCIP – Strategic & Competitive Intelligence Professionals—scip.org• Pragmatic Marketing—pragmaticmarketing.com

RECENT DOUBLECHECK ARTICLES

• You Lost a Deal: Here is the Secret to Not Losing the Next One- http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248523

• How to Tell Captivating Stories that Drive Behavior- http://www.saleshacker.com/social-selling/how-to-tell-captivating-stories-that-drive-behavior/

• The 3 Salesperson Behavioral Traits Buyers Value Above All Others - http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/the-salesperson-behavioral-traits-buyers-value-above-all-others-

new-research

GREATWIN-LOSS RESOURCES

THANK YOURyan Sorley, Founder DoubleCheck Researchwww.doublecheckresearch.com @SorleyRyanRyan.sorley@doublecheckresearch.com(617) 285-6722