Structured Sales Process Overview

“It’s not the sales person, it’s the sales process!” The importance of developing a structured sales process baseline

© Len Chermack – http://www.linkedin.com/in/lenchermack Ph. 469-585-0064

In my many years of sales, marketing and turnaround management, I have seen companies struggle with predicting and managing their sales opportunity cost or revenue generation. In 1993, I was a co-founding executive of PenUltimate, Inc., pioneers in Sales Force Automation which is known as CRM today. Our product was called SalesForce (a name very famous today, and my friend Marc Benioff reminds me how he got our trademark name, another story, but the short version Oracle acquired our name in an acquisition) My company was recognized by Gartner as the first to deliver an automated solution to managing opportunities. We saw the value of managing each opportunity as its own sales cycle and the value of developing baseline of the sales process. I did this for some of the best sales organization in the world including IBM. My team saw real value in the ability to measure and assess how well each sales individual was progressing, where they required help, and where prospects were disengaging in the sales cycle and for what reason. What we determined was that the sales process could and should be measured and must be automated so we could manage the sheer volume of prospects moving through the sales cycle. Over the years, when I assumed the leadership of a company my first order of business was to assess the revenue side of the business, review my operating cash requirements for the immediate and near future and begin to understand the predictability of sales so we could manage our cash and borrowing for the operations. One key component would be to have some belief in the forecasting of revenue. I would sit down with each salesperson, if it were a small operation or if it was a larger global sales operation, I would decide what regional and geographical samples were required. I would begin a forensic look at both successes and prospect disengagements to help to piece together the key components of the sales cycle to be used as a sales process baseline. Every sales process should be mapped and a benchmark created. Every sales individual should have past successes and failures mapped against the aggregate averaged process by product and/or services. Mapped so management can determine or predict the revenue expectation by representative; if there are no changes, tweaks or optimization of the persons inputs (Inputs include lead flow at the top of the funnel or other assistance) then the benchmark is set. Only once measured, can the sales process be improved! This simple benchmark can provide so much knowledge into why and how certain sales individuals perform. It can help predict expected revenue and most important the probability of short fall in revenue far enough out for cash management. This often exposed areas that required immediate attention, such as sales training and assistance, lead generation programs strengths and weaknesses, and amount of marketing spend that might be required to deliver enough prospects through the pipeline to achieve desired results. Below is a sample mapping of a sales cycle for a product or service for an individual sales rep.



Initial Qualify Dev Prospect

Needs Assessment

PPrroodduucctt DDeemmoo

Proposal Close

100 web leads / mo 1 channel lead / mo

Pre screen Leads Top of funnel

Pre qualification/highlight demo of product by

product driver

40 Suspects

SSttaaggee ooff SSaalleess CCyyccllee

14 days 10 Days 7 Days 28 Days

2 deals Closed for

X$’s

Fallout % By sales rep

25% 30%

Stage

Progress

30% 60%

70% fallout

Remaining Prospects

12

8

6

4

12 suspects

60% Fallout

Michael W. Lodato Ph.D. who served as an advisor to PenUltimate studied and once taught the value of a Structured Sales Process Management as an Associate Professor at Cal Lutheran University and as a consultant to several Fortune 500’s. At PenUltimate, we studied Dr. Lodato’s methodology as well as several of the leading methodology experts, Mike Bosworth, Jim Holden, Miller Heinemann, and Austin Gardner - Target Account Selling etc. What we found common in each of these methodologies were defined steps for the sales process. We believed measurement against every prospect would provide the baseline to which we could assess and improve with measurable results. In 1993 we became the sales process experts and many began preaching about sales process re-engineering. My team was called on by IBM for sales process reengineering during Gerstner’s era of reengineering the company.

Overview: Identifying and Mapping a Structured Sales Process

“The foundation of the sales process is a highly structured sales cycle, a set of steps taken

by sellers to move prospects through Incremental levels of commitment to the point

where they agree to buy the product or service. Sales cycles are established by the



management team. Specific to each product offered. The sales cycle is a conscious,

planned system of selling steps that are visible, logical, and repeatable”1.

Creating a baseline is very important to measure each sales person’s progress through the

sales cycle. As in most companies, some sales individuals are more adept at moving

faster through with higher degrees of success. The purpose of the baseline is to identify

variances and mange from these exceptions. This is particularly important in large selling

organizations and where sales reps could be managing multiple opportunities in various

stages. During my early days as a sales manager, I clearly understood the larger deals and

those most detailed by the sales organization, but I also knew it was those under the radar

that were often more important to my success and predictability of revenue.

By paying attention to details early on I could make corrections and allocate appropriate

resources. So I began monitoring the entire process. This was painstaking and I knew it

needed automation beyond lead management and deeper into the sales process. I decided

to leave a Fortune 500 company and form a team to automate this. Sure contact

management were great tools and supported sales people, but imagine if a sales

representative knew statistically where they should be paying attention in order to

achieve goal and the company supported them with tools that would help.

Sample Sales Cycle Baseline Map

Financial services example above short sales cycle and baseline timeline between steps

In the above example, the sales cycle steps and average time to complete are documented in the audit phase. This becomes the baseline measurement for all sales people who sell this solution to the market. If a company has adopted a sales methodology such as Solution Selling, Target Account Marketing, Spin etc. , these steps are most likely well documented, however they often will not be defined in terms of measurement and mapping the fallout of prospects or applicable ratios or automated in a way to provide the entire company exposure.

1 Michael W. Lodato Ph.D. Associate Professor Cal Lutheran University

4 Prospects per month produced

Referred Initial Qualification

SSeett MMeeeettiinngg RReeqquueesstt FFiinnaanncciiaallss

CClliieenntt MMeeeettiinngg PPoossiittiioonn EEdduuccaattee DDiissccoovveerryy

Review/Close Recommend

SSiiggnnaattuurree MMeeeettiinngg

Max 14 days Max 21 days Max 7 days at 7 days if Financial Plan from Proposal



THE SALES AUDIT

During the audit, it is important to document a relevant sample of the sales cycle for all products or services. If it is a large sales operation, it is recommended that you interview a sample which includes the top sales personnel (A performers, those B players and those new sales representatives struggling) . Ask them to walk you through their sales cycle and key milestones and record the average time between each milestone. The timeline must be probed and mapped through each step. Repeat this for an average or “B” sales person as well a samples from beginning sales individuals or “C” representatives. This should also be conducted in several locations where they sell. The sample offers the best understanding of the current process. Gain understanding into what tools they use to assist each step. Create a matrix of key steps that are important milestones in the sales process, and map the appropriate sample of sales persons interviewed. This will demonstrate immediately the differences in how each progress through the process. The mapping is just the high level view. Factors such as product knowledge, time in position, experience with same type customers etc.

Example: I/Q �-----� Needs Assess ……………………. Sales Rep Step1 #days Step 2 # days Step3 # days …………………. Top sales Performer

Define what they do

14 days Define what they do

Med-Sales Performer

New Sales

….. Average

Creating the ROI and Prospect Fallout by Sales Individual

After completing the mapping, review the typical number of prospects from the samples you interviewed and map their progress. Identify at each stage how many progresses to the next step and the time it took to complete the step. A pattern will develop on the fallout of prospects by each step. Applying a “deal” value will assist in knowing how much revenue opportunity is lost in the reduction of prospects that do not continue through to the next step. I call this the fallout ratio, if adapted you can predict to some degree of confidence sales revenue and your cash management demands.

An example:

Each deal is worth $1000 dollars. 10 prospects start into the process, 6 remain after the first milestone or 60% of those entering remain in the cycle. You have lost $400 dollars in opportunity out of the pipeline in this phase. As you move along the next milestone example- needs assessment, and 1 falls out, the ratio is 1:6 fall out in this phase. You are



beginning to identify the “value” of the opportunity loss, but not the cost. There is always a “selling cost” as you move through the sales cycle; this selling cost grows incrementally in both time, expense and hopefully minimal “opportunity cost”. Better qualification at the front end of the cycle reduces the “opportunity cost”. Opportunity cost is optimized when the ratio of fallout is reduced and more prospects move through phases of the cycle to higher close ratios. A sales person can manage only so many opportunities given the time necessary to mange a sales through the cycle. The better qualified the lead or prospect the more opportunity optimized and less fallout equals cost savings.

Example of a Short Sales Process I developed for Nextel’s business sales group in the

90’s :

Developing Sales Process Steps

To provide an overall framework for a sales process, you may want to propose steps

which we will go into further detail. If you don’t currently have an established sales cycle

which your sales or channel reps are familiar with, you might start with a generic set of

steps such as:

� Initial contact and qualification



� Needs assessment � Develop solutions � Present solution

� Handle objections/qualify cost

� Close and Implementation Planning

Naturally, these steps don’t apply everywhere but they may provide you with a starting

point. Note, not all your product or services process baseline need to have the same

number of steps. Indeed, many clients have different sales processes specifically geared

to new business development (verses expansion or retention). These types of cycles will

be heavier in the initial stages; while others may not have a “qualification” step at all.

Once you have a sketch of the steps in at least one sales cycle, you’re ready to begin

actually writing out the sales process involved in those steps.

A framework for each step should be developed:

1. The Preparation for each step. Typically this text would explain the purpose of the

step, under what conditions it would be started, who is involved, and what the rep

should be to prepare for it.

2. The Guidelines to perform each step. Typically this text would provide guidance

on what the reps should do to accomplish this step.

3. The Post it follows each step. This text would remind reps what they should do

after, such as thank you notes follow-up calls etc.

4. The Checklists and other tools used during the step. Checklists are the heart of a

good structured questioning system.

A good procedure is to outline the purpose of each step and then write out these four

elements in detail, one step at a time. If the preparation or guidelines in particular, start to

get too complex or long—more than about 1/2 to 1 typewritten page, it is likely that your

steps are too big or that you are trying to combine two or more cycles into one.

After you have detailed the process involved in each step, you’ll want to assign an

“average” length of time (m business days) to accomplish the step. Note, this is the

calendar time it takes to accomplish the step and is often much shorter than the time

you’ll actually spend doing it. For example, a presentation to senior management (the



“closing pitch”) may only take 2 hours but it might show as 20 business days (four

weeks) because, on average, that is how long it takes to schedule a date on these

executives’ calendars.

Sample Steps in a long complex sales cycle 9. Contract Processing PO Release 8. Pre-Implementation meetings 7. Selection by Prospect 6. Solution Positioning 5. Proposal Submission/Cost Justification 4. Application/Technical Evaluation 3. Solution Presentation 2. Needs Analysis/Positioning 1. Prospect Qualification

As you can imagine the longer the sales cycle the greater the opportunity cost incurred. It is therefore imperative to know the costs, value, and risk in each phase. While not difficult to calculate, it is often amazing to sales management the value of opportunity lost. If not corrected and managed, a company could create more opportunity and fail at the same rate thereby increasing costs. Gaining control of this should move the organization toward sales optimization. In many sales organizations these costs, phases and measurements are not reviewed.

With the growth of CRM automating the sales process and each step should be defined In

terms of:

* Objectives of the Step * Prerequisites for success * Participants (both from seller and prospect sides) * How to set up and prepare for the step * Guidelines for carrying out the step * Sales tools to support the step

STRUCTURED SALES PROCESS The components of the Structured Sales Process are as follows: Structured sales cycles - sequences of sales steps used by sellers to move prospects to incremental levels of commitment to the point where they agree to buy. Each step serves as a standard of performance for the sales activity and a reference guide for the sellers.



Sales steps are defined in terms of objectives of the step, prerequisites for success, participants, how to prepare for and set up the steps, guidelines, post-step activities and a list of sales tools designed to help in achieving the objectives. Sales team meeting guidelines - utilized in complex sales situations for each prospect opportunity, consisting of the salesperson, the application consultant, a product manager and the sales manager. Sales teams are used in situations where the carrying out of some steps may require an expenditure of resources that is high. The sales team can help in assuring that the prospect remains sufficiently qualified and thus justifies the expenditures. In other situations where customizations of a product are common, it is important to have technical input from, say, a product manager. In these cases, sales team meetings are made a part of the sales cycle interspersed between steps at strategic points. Sales teams are utilized for needs analysis, qualification of the proper solution, development of the optimal sales strategy, presentations and proposals and controlling and communicating the sales process with the customer. Forms, checklists, brochures, user success testimonials, user lists, and other items used by sales team members to help move the prospect through the sales cycle from one step to another. Some tools are designed for specific sales steps; others are applied at an early step and then updated as progress through the sales cycle is made. Product/service positions - checklists and other tools to positively differentiate the offering vs. the competition. A structured sales process provides management with visibility needed to successfully manage the revenue generation and control selling costs. They are also used by each salesperson to monitor progress towards a sale for each offering to each qualified prospect assigned to him or her. In all cases, the report procedures are directly related to the structured sales cycles being employed and are defined in sufficient detail to avoid any misunderstanding of definition and usage. Forecasting tools - facilities for projecting booking dollars with a high degree of accuracy based on parameters set by the management team. Sales opportunity planning facilities - Sales cycles for each qualified prospect are established by the management team specific to each product offered. Salespeople retrieve the appropriate sales cycle, enter a sales effort start date and, if automated, the system calculates the start and end dates for each step in the sales cycle for that prospect. From this point, the salesperson may add or delete steps, change some of the dates and otherwise modify the sales cycle to suit the specifics of the sales opportunity.



Example of detailed mapping Sales Process Used by Enterprise Software Company

Sales Cycle 1-

Complex Sale /Expensive Product

1. Prospect qualification 12 days 2.Inititial sales presentation 15 days 3.Product demonstration (optional) 15 days 4.Application Survey 20 days 5. Executive presentation 20 days 6.Develop prospect’s business case 25 days 7. Executive presentation/system recommendation 20 days 8. Proposal submission 10 days 9.Acceptance/selection 20 days 10.Implementation planning meeting 10 days 11.Interface with prospect contract officer 10 days 12.Contract processing 20 days Optional STEPS:

Visit to customers/ customer validation 10 days Benchmark 4 days Tech Center project 25 days • Problems (Create and Use Problems Checklist) • Desired benefits (Create and Use Benefits Checklist) • Schedule of events in buy cycle • Establish what should be tine next step and when it should be made (Initial

Presentation Needs assessment etc.) • Make an appointment only when properly qualified for visit • Get an understanding of the organization’s business philosophy (strengths

vulnerabilities i.e., situation appraisal) • Try to determine if there are any show stoppers; handle as many as possible • Position product pricing Post • Interim feedback to marketing (used to refine tele-qualifying) • Update prospect information (Account Profile) • Analyze information gathered. Isolate hot buttons and concerns of prospect • Review industry guides for additional information Tools

• Positioning aids • Completed telephone contact information • Industry guide



• Customer reference lists • Needs Assessment forms (Problems, Key Issues Benefits) • Account Profile

Step 2: Initial Sales Presentation

Because it may be difficult to coordinate schedules in the prospect organization, it may be advisable to make more than one presentation. Prep Objectives

• Find out what the prospect’s executive management believes is necessary for success in the market • Establish credibility for your company and self • Position your company and its product and service offerings • Get acceptance of the product’s concept • Show that your products improve the competitiveness of companies that use them • Set up the product demonstration site (if necessary) • Sell the need for an Applications Survey • Show that the product offering improves competitiveness (Reference users in their

industry) Prerequisites for Success

• Knowledge of the prospect’s business (products, production methods, competition) • Right people in the audience • Enough time and right setting • Sound preparation (Coordinate with AE(s) as to objectives, their role, what to say, what not to say- Correct messaging)

Participants

• Salesperson • Applications Engineer • Prospect executives, users of the application to benefit, and coach (if known) Set-up and Preparation

• Arrange for room, right people, enough time, audio-visual equipment, etc. • Call attendees to get them to attend and learn their hot buttons • Modify presentation to address requirements • Review facility and check sales presentations objectives



• Anticipate obstacles, problems and concerns • Learn about attendees • Get update on situation • Prepare sign-up sheet Guidelines

• If necessary, arrive at least 1 hour early; ensure all equipment is available and working • Establish rapport • Review and get agreement on situation and needs • Review agenda • Discuss critical factors for being successful in the market • Brief on your company, stress uniqueness (especially relative to their requirements) • Position your company and its product(s) (stress company and support quality) • Present benefits • Discuss payoffs during presentation of benefits (hot button) • Get prospects to focus on goals of the system, e.g. • Bring products to market faster • Increase quality while reducing costs • Increase flexibility • Improve communications with customers and vendors • Describe the product, where it came from and how it works • Stimulate questions • Handle questions and obstacles • Talk about their problems • Request action • Get agreement on next steps, particularly the Product Demonstration and Application Survey If communicating at executive level, the Application Survey should be positioned to fuel Business Case Development and System Recommendation (Steps 6 and 7). If communicating at non-executive level, the purpose of the Application Survey should be to have bottom-line data to sell at the executive level. • Continue qualification • Ask for a reaction • Be clear, concise, problem-solution oriented, keep it simple • Use sign-up sheet to learn who attended Post

• Update prospect information (Account Profile) • Write follow-up letters - include review of conclusion and agreements • Call each attendee, get feedback • Find out what has to be done to get the business



• Follow-up on outstanding questions and issues • Complete and submit Resource Request form Tools

• Presentation slides • Resource Request form • Audio visual equipment Step 3: Product Demonstration

Don’t expect the demo to sell the system. Solid justification is always needed. Prep Objectives

• Generate emotion for the product

• Show that the product is real; confirm all that was told them about the product

• Achieve an understanding of how the product works

• Show how the product helps solve problems and achieve benefits

• Handle outstanding questions/ obstacles

• Get prospect’s commitment to do an Application Survey

Prerequisites for Success

• The right prospect people

• Enough time and right setting

• Well-qualified prospect

• Knowledge of what prospects want to see (hot buttons)

• Sound preparation

• Adequate resources

• A plan that defines the role played by each of your company’s participant

salesperson, Application Engineer, Regional Manager, Vice President, etc.

• Approved Resource Request

Participants

• Salesperson

• Application Engineer

• Regional Manager, perhaps

• Prospect executives

• Good cross-section of users, e.g. from manufacturing engineering marketing

purchasing etc.



• The coach (if known)

Set-up and Preparation

• Find out who will attend, their applications of most interest and what their expectations

for the demonstration are

• Arrange enough time and right setting

• Assemble all product components to be displayed

• Make sure all equipment is in working order

• Be sure that videos and other presentation aids are available

Step 4: Application Survey

Several visits to the prospect may be required to get all of the information for a good survey. Prep Objectives

• Enhance rapport and credibility

• Determine degree of fit and your company’s chances (Go/No Go) • Influence prospects toward company and its product(s) (Build confidence)

• Obtain information to make Executive Presentation effective

• Eliminate as many competitors as possible • Meet all decision makers

• Obtain thorough understanding of prospect’s business, from concept to product

shipment


• Prospect is qualified • Prospect expects a QIA session and not a presentation or demo • Access to all the right people, i.e. prospects with answers

• Prospect allots enough time • Sound preparation and good tools

Participants

• Salesperson • Account Executive

• Prospect users from all of the right functions: manufacturing, engineering, marketing,

purchasing, modeling, operations, finance, etc. and executives



Set Up and Preparation

• Try to schedule meetings with specific people and groups • Prepare (review) Needs Assessment Checklists and Applications Survey forms • Review previous Applications Survey reports, particularly for same type of business

Guidelines

• Confirm and expand on buying criteria, especially pricing • Expand knowledge of problems, benefits desired, and payoffs desired (hot buttons)

• More thorough qualification

• Confirm and update Influences, Responses, and Ratings; get additional information

on them

• Who, What, Where, When, Why

• Determine product development flow

• Learn technical environment and requirements

• Learn perceived solutions. Do prospects have vision of a solution?

Document organization

• What does the company do? How does it do it?

• Learn where the budgets are and if and how they buy capital equipment when not in

the budget

• Buying process/Role of consultants/Approval and contract review process

• How long do procurement and approval processes take?

• Is management pro or con high technology?

• Get facts for cost justification:

• Depreciation period and method • Payback guidelines and standards • Desired payback period • (Get from CFO, who can also verify approval cycle described by others) • What is product development cycle from order to completion of part?

• How does the company prove out an idea? How long does it take?

• Expose/Handle obstacles

• Get agreement on evaluation plan

• What will be support needs?

• Multi-product sale potential

• Review RFP, if available

• Position your company and its product(s)

• Prepare prospect for either Executive Presentation (Step 5) if not at executive level



yet, or prepare prospect for Business Case presentation and System

Recommendation (Steps 6 and 7)

• Get prospect’s requirements document if one exists

Post • Update prospect information (Account Profile)

• Follow up by phone to fill in areas of missed information and to get clarification

• Letters of appreciation to prospects who participated

Tools • Needs Assessment Checklists (Problems, Benefits, Key Issues)

• Application Survey

• Application articles, brochures, etc, specific to prospect or industry

• Competitive information

• Positioning aids

Step 5: Executive Presentation

Note: This step may only apply if communications have been at non-executive level up

to this point

Prep

Objectives

• Assure yourself that prospect executives have a favorable view toward your company and its product • Get acceptance of the product’s concept at all levels • Show that your products meet prospect’s specific requirements • Set up the Business Case step • Get prospect’s commitment to purchase the product if justified by the business case. • Get concurrence on factors executive management believes are necessary for success in the marketing Prerequisites for Success

• Results from the Applications Survey • Right people in the audience • Enough time and right setting • Sound preparation



Participants

• Salesperson • Application Engineer

• Prospect executives, users of the application to benefit, and coach (if known) Set-up and Preparation

• Arrange for room, right people, enough time, audio-visual equipment, etc. • Call attendees to get them to attend and confirm their hot buttons • Modify presentation to address specific requirements • Review facility • Anticipate obstacles, problems and concerns

• Learn about attendees • Get update on situation • Prepare sign-up sheet

Guidelines

• If necessary arrive at least 1 hour early; ensure all equipment is available and working

• Establish rapport • Review agenda • Present results of the Application Survey and get agreement on situation and needs • Review results of Product Demonstration, particularly any agreement on situation

and needs • Discuss critical factors for being successful in the market

• Brief on your company, stress uniqueness (especially relative to their requirements)

• Position your company and its product(s) (stress company and-support quality> • Present benefits

• Discuss payoffs during presentation of benefits (hot button) • Describe the product, where the product came from and how it works • Stimulate questions • Handle questions and obstacles • Talk about their problems • Request action • Get agreement on next steps, particularly the Business Case • Ask for a reaction • Be clear, concise, problem-solution oriented, keep it simple • Use sign-up sheet to learn who attended

Post

• Update prospect information (Account Profile) • Write follow-up letters; include review of conclusion and agreements • Call each attendee, get feedback • Find out what has to be done to get the business



• Follow-up on outstanding questions and issues Tools • Presentation charts (slides) • Obstacles scripts • Audio visual equipment • Brochures, other handouts (handout kit) • Positioning aids

Step 6: Developing the Prospect’s Business Case

Prep

Objectives

• Prepare the Business Case document for presentation to executives Prerequisites for Success • Results from the Application Survey • Access to regional secretary • Prospect management support • Access to open, candid prospects • Enough time • Coach (champion) as a facilitator • Knowledge of the prospect’s capital investment criteria • Salesperson • Sales Manager • Regional Secretary • Prospect Coach Set-up and Preparation

• Carefully review the Account Profile and the results from the Applications Survey Guidelines • Get criteria on how company views business cases (need to define business case) • Find out who we must deal with on the purchasing side • How does prospect view drains on capital? • Document examples of other companies who have improved profit margins or other

document results via the use of your product

• Be specific about how prospect will he able to:

• Reduce product development time • Decrease product development costs • Increase product quality • Improve profits (Be quantitative, everywhere possible)



• Document the specific benefits to accrue from the company’s product(s} to each-of the functions: • R&D/Product Engineering • Marketing • Manufacturing • Purchasing • Calculate the payback period • Review Business Case content with prospect coach • Revise Business Case to win executive acceptance according to input from coach and other key players Post • Update prospect information (Account Profile) Tools

• Justification program (set regional offices) • Business Case template • Previous business cases

Step 7: Executive Presentation/ System Recommendation

Prep

Objectives

• Convince prospects of economic justification for product purchase

• Demonstrate how prospect can improve profit margin by using the product

• Show prospect’s executive management that you understand and that your company

can respond to their needs.

• Set agreement that a formal proposal should be submitted


• Small number of key decision makers in attendance

• Enough time to get the major points across

• A convincing Business Case

• Knowledge of the audience’s hot buttons

• Defined roles for Application Engineers, Regional Manager, etc.; i.e. who handles hot

buttons, obstacles, red flags, etc.

Participants

• Salesperson

• Regional Manager, perhaps

• Cross section of key prospect executives

• Coach




• Determine and document the configuration that will perform the tasks set out in the

Business Case

• Confirm (with the Coach) that the key prospect executives will attend

• Arrange for room, enough time, audio-visual equipment, etc.

• Review facility

• Anticipate obstacles, problems and concerns

• Review information about attendees

Guidelines

• If necessary, arrive at least 1 hour early: ensure all equipment is available and working

• Establish rapport

• Brief on your company, stress uniqueness (especially relative to their requirements)

• Present the Business Case briefly to prospect executives

• Recommend a specific product configuration and explain how it will perform the tasks

set out in the Business Case

• Be clear, concise, problem-solution oriented, keep it simple

• Stimulate questions • Confirm any likes and dislikes, (in front of the staff, if possible) • Handle questions and obstacles • Ask for a reaction • Get agreement that a formal proposal should be submitted Post • Update prospect information (Account Profile) • Write follow-up letters; include review of conclusion and agreements • Call each attendee, get feedback • Find out what has to be done to get the business • Follow-up on outstanding questions and issues Tools • Prospect Business Case • Presentation slides (if needed)

Step 8: Proposal Submission Prep Objectives

• Get the agreement to buy • Show value • Justify purchase from your company



• Provide easy access to info about the offer (for when you are not there) Prerequisites for Success

• Good survey and business case results • Knowledge of buyer’s criteria and wants • Knowledge of obstacles to the sale • Knowledge (and perhaps elimination), of competition • Understanding of buyer’s reasons to buy • Enough time and resources to do a good proposal

Participants

• Salesperson • Regional Manager • Prospect coach


• Get prospect to agree it’s time for a proposal • Learn prospect’s expectations relative to the proposal • Outline what you will send • Sell the proposal presentation Guidelines The proposal includes summary findings from the Business Case, some of which may be

updated based on new information and prospect feedback. The following guidelines

include the key sections of the proposal.

• Update Business Case results • Cover background and assumptions • Summarize contacts to date • Review problems and degrees of concern • Restate wants • Lead reader into body of the proposal

• Address all the prospects needs and wants • Define benefits and their source

• Cover investment considerations • Define the offer precisely (put details in appendices) • Request action • Handle specific questions • Write succinctly (bulletined first, then embellish) • Present proposal in person and don’t distribute until the end • Get right audience • Arrange enough time



• Make (repeat) strongest points at the end Post

• Update prospect information (Account Profile) • Find out how proposal was received • Expose and handle remaining obstacles • Call for question/action session, if needed • Arrange next step • Complete Resource Request form

Tools

• Proposal Template • Prospect Proposal • Resource Request form

Step 9: Acceptance (Selection) by Prospect

In a competitive environment, this is the point (event) where the prospect selects one

vendor from among its alternatives. In a non-competitive environment, the assumption is

that your company will be recommended for purchase.

Prep

Objectives

• Get commitment of buying influences in recommending your company and its

product(s).

• Avoid losing control during in-house selling recommendation

• Sell the Implementation Planning Meeting (See Step 10)


• Use of sales cycles to get incremental levels of commitment

• Support for any champions

• Exposure and successful handling of sales obstacles

• Contact with and selling of buying influences, especially those on the project team

Participants

• Salesperson

• Buying influencers

• Decision makers




• If not selected, develop strategy for getting the decision changed in our favor

• If this fails, prepare Loss Report

Guidelines • Revalidate approval process and time frame

• Prepare prospect for competitor’s tactics, if your product is selected

• Be prepared to handle any remaining sales obstacles

• Offer to help prepare implementation plan and/or presentation to prospect management

• Should selection be other than your product, get details and prepare strategy for

overturning the decision. At a minimum, find out and understand why it was not

chosen

• Offer and provide brochures, user success stories, previous reports where your product

was recommended, etc. to be helpful to project team in preparing reports


• Call to set up time for Implementation Planning Meeting

• Make sure prospect has all information needed to process a license agreement

Tools

. Copies of previous recommendations of your company and its product(s) Step 10: Implementation Planning Meeting

Prep

Objectives

• Maintain control after selection • Influence presentation to management • Fend off competitor actions • Communicate with each level of the approval process • Help in preparing report recommending your company and product • Maintain a sense of urgency Prerequisites for Success

• Agreement by prospect that you can help in the job of getting final buy off



Participants

• Salesperson • Application Engineer/ Field Engineer • Prospect system implementers Guidelines • Meet with prospect personnel involved in system implementation • Stay in communication with each level of the approval process • Document the control role that your company will play from this point on • Try to monitor each remaining step in the prospect’s approval process; keep it moving • Help prepare a summary implementation plan • Explain how implementation will be done • Establish level of implementation support • Help in preparing report recommending your company and its product(s) • Ascertain that prospect has all contractual documents necessary for completing the sale • Try to be a participant in the recommendation to management • Warn prospects of probable actions of competitors • Present Implementation Plan (See Implementation Checklist) Post • Update prospect information (Account Profile) Tools • Implementation Checklist Step 11: Interface with Prospect Contract Officer

Be aware of the potential impact the prospect purchasing agent may have on the sales process. It may be appropriate to bring the purchasing people into the sales cycle much sooner than at this step.

Prep

Objectives

• Get prospect to understand our contract early in the sales cycle so it does not lead to a

delay in closing the business

• Prepare prospect for areas of contract that your company does not yield on • Avoid a hostile contract negotiation


• Agreement by prospect contracting officer to meet



• Rapport between prospects and your company’s contract managers

Participants

• Your company’s contracts manager • Prospect’s purchasing agent


• Be prepared to handle purchasing agent mentality and obstacles to contract Terms and Conditions.

Guidelines • Establish when the purchase order will be released • Explain our contractual documents and way of doing business

• Explain reasons for the points on which your company does not yield

• Find out where the prospect is likely to yield and the reasons for those positions • Find as many areas of mutual agreement (on doing business) as possible

• Develop contract processing plan

• Keep everything on a pleasant plane


• Send letter acknowledging areas of agreement and plan for contract processing

Tools • Standard contract

Step 12: Contract Processing Prep

Objectives

• Secure the business without yielding on important terms and conditions • Avoid conflicts and misunderstandings • Get down payment Prerequisites for Success

• Early contact with, and review of contract by, prospect contract officer • Setting proper expectations regarding your company’s stance on price and payment terms and other terms



• Handling of all outstanding sales obstacles Participants

• Salesperson • Sales Administration • Prospect project leader and contract negotiator • Perhaps your company’s management Guidelines • Be sure that no contract goes to prospect which have changes not signed off by management • Be available to answer all questions and sales obstacles • Complete Win/Loss report • Be slow and thorough in explaining how your company does business and why • Make sure contract has all required signatures • Make sure contact gets to right person in your company for recording and first payment Post • Update prospect information (Account Profile) • Discuss situation with account manager, explaining client requirements and personalities and warning of potential pitfalls Tools • Win/Loss report form • Standard contract

Optional Step: Visit to Your Company and/or to its Customers

Prep

Objectives

• Give prospect assurance that your company has substance and is a good potential Business partner • Positive endorsement by customer of the company’s products, its support and its way of doing business Prerequisites for Success • Availability of key management • Sound briefing of managers and staff by salesperson • Sound briefing of customer about prospect • Sound briefing of prospect about customer • Knowledge of prospect’s hot buttons • A happy customer



• Follow-up with both prospects and customers • Approved Resource Request

Participants

• Salesperson • Application Engineer, sometimes • Selected company executives and managers • Selected sales support and technical support people • Key customer personnel, matched well with prospects to be visiting • Key prospect personnel • Prospect coach Set-up and Preparation

• Find out what prospects want to accomplish via the visit, talk to more than one prospect member • Prepare each staff member who will participate. Advise them of hot buttons and turn- offs of each prospect visiting • Call all parties and get agreement on date and times • Arrange for hotels and special functions • Arrange agenda • Send written agenda to all parties well ahead of time • Review information on all competitors still being considered • Advise all associates of their strengths and weaknesses relative to the project • Visit customer before or with prospect • Brief both customer and prospect orally and in writing (hot button) Guidelines

• Anticipate, expose and handle obstacles • Trial close. Find out why you are winning or losing • Review (get debriefed by both parties) • Let prospect and customer have some time alone

Post

• Update prospect information (Account Profile) • Follow-up letters to prospects • Thank you letters to customer

Tools Optional Step: Benchmark Prep This step is used to veri1y the performance of the product, often in a competitive

situation against other potential solutions. The key to winning a benchmark is to ensure



the success criteria are weighted in the product’s favor. To prepare for this step, schedule

the equipment needed and coordinate with your Application Engineer.

Participants

• Salesperson • Application Engineer Guidelines These guidelines are currently under development.

Post The follow up is currently under development.

The above was a very detailed account of each sale step in the process and what is required to support that step. With today’s CRM tools, access to information about companies and their executives, finding common ground to build a relationship has become easier. If this type of approach is used a company can expect more predictable results, better warning systems on revenue and a better view of cash requirements. But this is just a immediate assessment tool. Channel and partner predictability is another type of steps and procedures. I have had success in both direct and indirect sales. About the Author…..

Len currently is serving as an interim President for an exciting Small Business Financial

Intelligence Services start-up company MyBiz that mashes financial data from the cloud

and provides financial alerts. The solutions are designed for the SMB (Small-to-medium

size businesses) as a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering in the Cloud. In addition to

assisting the founder raise money and structuring the Company, he is helping to build

strategic partnerships globally through his extensive international reach. Len has

secured a leading offshore development team he has worked with in the past to develop

the accounting interfaces.

Len has led several successful turnarounds (Baan, Adapt Software, HSO and

GlobeRanger) by developing marketing strategies to position the companies for success

and applying his extensive sales and sales processing expertise to drive revenue and

execution of his strategy. At Netherlands based ERP software company Baan (now

INFOR) using a marketing strategy and proven market strategy team he employed in the

past, he quickly assessed the Company's strengths, weaknesses and personnel globally,

reorganized the operations reducing costs globally and brought together a diverse global

team of marketing personnel to help drive the new strategy to success.



Len was brought in by the VC's as CEO and President of GlobeRanger Corporation in

Richardson, Texas, a Software Company that once failed to achieve any sustainable

revenue under 4 prior CEO's and the venture capital investors were very close to shutting

it down when he was called in by the lead venture firm to assess viability. Len stepped in

with a strategy and direction, and in less than 6 months the Company became the

recognized leader in the RFID software space through several key global wins at the US

Department of Defense, The Netherlands National Forensic Labs, Bayer pharmaceutical,

FloraHolland, Cardinal Health and other major retail and commercial supply chains

throughout the world with proven RFID and sensor enabling edge software to deliver

track, trace perishables, non-perishables and sensitive materials in the global supply

chain.

Len has over 20 years of international experience and is often called on by investors to

help engineer strategies to turnaround, identify, grow and expand companies and

markets by leveraging his years of marketing, direct and indirect channel sales

operations experience in the global market.

Len has held key executive positions in operations, sales, and marketing, and is an

entrepreneur that as had success in both start-ups and Global 2000 companies. In

addition to taking two companies public and several mergers and acquisitions during his

career, he is known for his deep expertise in both the Enterprise and SMB marketplace

and often called by leading analysts and consulting firms such as Bain, Parthenon and

others for his expert opinion of the market and trends. Industry experience includes:

manufacturing, high tech, electronics, government/public sector, aerospace and defense,

B2B, e-commerce, wireless and telecommunications. He has held sales and marketing

leadership positions in several Global 2000 Companies, including Honeywell, Moore,

SAGE and Invensys/ Baan (now Infor).

Len has proven success in business development, new market identification, strategic

planning and execution, market positioning, messaging, sales process reengineering and

delivering results globally. He has a passion for sales and marketing and has used his

deep knowledge to transform and grow companies.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Executive Leadership; International P&L Experience;

Strategic Planning/ Marketing Channel Development; Revenue Rainmaker; Global Sales,

Marketing, Business Development & Strategic Alliances; Managing SMB and Enterprise

Applications Teams; Mergers & Acquisitions; Reengineering/Turnaround; Contract

Negotiations including European work councils; Extensive Rolodex

Structured Sales Process Overview

Documents

Transcript of Structured Sales Process Overview