S S Ten Slides in Ten Minutes: Parable of the Pink Ponies [Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]
Presented by:
Bill Graham APM.APMP
April, 2014
Market
Management Relationship
Building Opportunity
Scouting
Prompts: • Global trends • Industry knowledge • Unfolding
opportunities • Emerging risks
Prompts: • Pedigree/s • Preferences • Requirement/s for
advancement • Resource alignment • Communication plan/s
Prompts: • Wants vs. needs • Resourcing
requirements • Solutions vs. Risks • Ability to deliver • Competition
Account Managers
should be “Thought
Leaders” in specific
industries
Account Managers
need to be
articulate & be the
Single Point of
Contact [SPOC]
Account Managers
need to understand
the clients’ needs
and deliver against
this need
Fact 1: Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions
2
Abundance of
Solutions Selection of
Solutions
Mutually Agreed
Solutions
Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Source: Sales Synthesis
Client
3
Source: Sales Synthesis
Fact 2: It is a Necessity to Deploy Relevant Cost-Efficient Solutions
A Common Strategic
Vision with Clients
Basic Products
Basic Solutions
Value-Added Services
The Competitors’
Trajectory of
Irrelevance
Evolving Solutions
Moment of Truth
Competitive
Mountain
Competitive
Molehill
An evolving relationship
4
Thus, given that….
Fact 1: Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Fact 2: It is a Necessity to Deploy Relevant Cost-Efficient Solutions
&
The Sales Bag will contain a defined set of offerings…
5
Thus, given that….
Fact 1: Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Fact 2: It is a Necessity to Deploy Relevant Cost-Efficient Solutions
&
But none, I guess, would be a real Pink Pony…
The Sales Bag will contain a defined set of offerings… Sales Bag:
Without Pink Ponies
6
Pink Ponies and a Point to Ponder
A customer walks into a major retail outlet and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you sell Pink Ponies?’ The sales assistant has (probably) three possible answers: 1. “Yes” 2. “No” 3. “Come back in ‘X ‘weeks and we’ll have them in stock”.
What would their answer ‘typically be?…
7
Pink Ponies and a Point to Ponder
A customer walks into a major retail outlet and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you sell Pink Ponies?’ The sales assistant has (probably) three possible answers: 1. “Yes” 2. “No” 3. “Come back in ‘X ‘weeks and we’ll have them in stock”.
It would be ‘No’…
What would their answer ‘typically be?…
8
A Question for Sales Leadership
Question: Would you allow your salesforce to attempt to sell Pink Ponies? Answer: 1. “Yes” 2. “No” 3. “Come back in ‘X ‘weeks and we’ll have them in stock”.
This is commonly referred to as ‘shoehorning…
A Forced Solution is a Forecast for Failure
9 Source: Sales Synthesis
Solution Fit
Profitability
and / or
Business
Fit Ascent of
Acceptability
Forcing a solution to fit a client’s requirements [commonly referred to as ‘shoehorning’] will result in lower marketplace credibility and lower long term profitability
The Path of Pink Ponies to the
Days of Customers’ Past
100% 0%
The Region of
Ruined Solutions and
Pink Ponies…
The Rapid Rise
of the Sound
Solution
The Peak of
Performance
A Forced Solution is a Forecast for Failure
Build mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term client relationships by crafting solutions that support a clients’ Business Needs
10
In Closing: A Lesson to Learn
Scenario 1: A customer walks into a major retail outlet and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you sell Pink Ponies?’ The sales assistant answers: “Yes”
…and the retail outlet goes out of business because of non-delivery.
Scenario 2: A customer walks into a major retail outlet and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you sell Pink Ponies?’ The sales assistant answers: “No”
… and the retail outlet grows from strength to strength by selling relevant offerings.
Do Not Compromise your Salespeople - or Your Growth in the Marketplace - by Proposing Irrelevant Offerings, such as Pink Ponies…
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