1. PLANNING and HAVING CUSTOMERCONVERSATIONSMarch 7th,
2012Andrew Rudin,Managing Principal, Outside Technologies,
Inc.Certified Social Media
Strategistwww.outsidetechnologies.com703.371.1242
(mobile)[email protected]/andyrudin
2. Who is our facilitator,and why is he here? Andy Rudin 20 +
years B2B sales experience incommercial, government, non-profit
Focus on sales strategy & execution Work with technology
companies MS in management information technologyfrom University of
Virginia Certified Social Media Strategist (2010)
3. Key Problems to SolveHow to discover information that
matters, and how to use it to produce outcomes that are valuable
for you and for your customer.
4. What this workshop isand isnt Is: an interactive forum to
share ideas and best practices to help advance your business goals
A set of frameworks you dont have to memorize, and that you can use
repeatedly in a wide range of situations Isnt: a tutorial thats
designed to turn everyone into sales pros A set of recommendations
that will undermine what you already do well Proprietary
shelf-ware
5. Customers
6. + Engagement
7. Todays Roadmap
8. Part 1 The differences between knowns, unknowns, and
assumptionsand whyeach is important Risk Management 101, and why it
matters for your sales activities and toyour company Risks and
opportunities: the key categories of facts and information
thatevery salesperson must uncover during the sales process The
Porters Five Forces Model and how to use it for sales discovery
Your intent, and how to establish a foundation of trust
Conversation points that resonate, differentiate, and substantiate
Lead qualification, part A, to find the best prospects for sales
engagement Call readiness checklist
9. Part 2 How to assess risk appetite both for you and your
prospective customers Lead qualification, Part B How to define
problems through questioning and discovery How to expose capability
gaps in your prospects business operations The best questions to
ask in specific selling situations, and how to developyour own
favorites How to embed questions into effective conversations Best
practices for asking questions during sales conversations Five to
dos before ending the call Asking for commitmentbelief, care, and
act Common selling myths, debunked
10. Part 3Nurturing interest and conversations after the
callProviding value and eliminating friction: integrating the
buying andselling processReciprocal expectations for following
through on commitmentsEnsuring ongoing interest and
interaction
11. Part 1
12. Hi Vikram:I am the new Vice President of Global Business
Development at AccuStartEngineers, and my company has initiated a
project to explore additional salesopportunities offshore.We are
considering some emerging markets, and after reviewing yourwebsite,
we think it would be beneficial to set up a meeting to learn
more.We plan to expand our international presence as early as next
quarter, and wewill be refining our search over the next few weeks.
AccuStart Engineers willconduct a thorough evaluation based on a
set of criteria we have formulated.Can you provide us with details
about your programs and about doing businessin Saudi Arabia? Also,
if you have some references we can contact, that wouldbe most
helpful.Best,Ken Thomas,VP Global Business Development, AccuStart
Engineers
13. 1-minute Exercise:Write down the first three questionsthat
come to mind.Note: there are no right or wrongquestions.
14. KnownsUnknowns Assumptions
15. 5-minute Exercise:When you begin your first
salesconversation,Which assumptions do you have?Whats typically
known?Whats typically unknown?
16. Risk Management 101 Eliminate Reduce Share Transfer
AcceptLikelihoodImpact
17. Opportunities and Risks for salespeopleTrust and Rapport
Build rapport Build trust Be credible Listen and understand Be
transparent (open)Accessibility Build community (reach) Be
approachable (findable) Connect with individuals (engagement)Value
Be valuable Advocate, persuade, and enable others to do so Be
current (information flow) Be clear Be different Appeal to ego and
emotion
18. Categories of Questions to ask1. Qualification2. Situation
(consequence/impact)3. Networking4. Attitude/sentiment5.
Validation6. Vision
19. What Keeps Prospects up at Night?Source: Strategy and the
Internet - Porter
20. 10-minute Exercise:1. divide into two groups2. pick a
single account or company that everyoneknows3. Figure out where the
power is in the value chain.4. Figure out which forces are exerting
pressure on thatpower (reinforcing or threatening).5. Figure out
which forces are influencing thecompetitive landscape (substitute
products, competitivebarriers-to-entry)
21. Foundation of trust --begins before the first
conversationIntent Transparency Shared values, objectives and goals
Empathy Meaningful questions Reflective, insightful dialog Be
personal, plainspoken, positive, plausible Worldview
22. Conversation PointsConversation point ExampleResonate
Companies that dont find customers outside the United States will
face constrained growth in our domestic markets.Differentiate We
are the only trade organization that focuses on the largest and
fastest growing market in the Middle East, Saudi
Arabia.Substantiate One of our clients, (name of company in similar
market), gained a contract worth ($X) directly through
participation in our trade mission last year.
23. Conversation pointsResonate Differentiate Substantiate
OutcomeResonate X X Lots of people are calling us about
this.Resonate Differentiate X Theres too much risk!Resonate X
Substantiate Send me your brochure and/or pricing, and well get
back to you.X Differentiate Substantiate Great , but thats not us.X
X Substantiate Not really listening
24. Qualification 4 Green LightsQuestion 1: Can my company as
Producer and my target company as Consumer generate mutually
beneficial value?Question 2: Am I going to waste my time?Solution
fit: Does my prospect seek an outcome that can be enabled with my
product or service?Access: Can I get access to the people who can
enable me to achieve the outcome I want?Financial resources: Does
my prospect have the resources (money/time/people) to purchase and
implement my solution?Expected timeframe: Does my prospect plan to
purchase my product or service in a timeframe that is within my
operating horizon?
25. Phone Call Readiness checklist 1. Name. Have the persons
name and company nameand correct pronunciationswritten down in
front of you 2. Facts. For the individual you are planning to speak
with, know at least three facts each about his or her industry,
company, and them personally 3. Visualization. Visualize who youre
calling, where they are, whats on their calendar, what matters they
might be dealing with right now . . . 4. Hypothesis. about at least
one of their strategic concerns that you can help them solvebased
on the facts in #2 above. 5. Conversation points. What you must
convey to resonate, differentiate, substantiate 6. Outcome. What do
you want from the call, including immediate next step? 7. Plan B.
What to do if the conversation doesnt proceed along the happy path.
8. Key facts. What must be discovered? Know what you need to
know.
26. Break!
27. Part 2 How to assess risk appetite both for you and your
prospective customers Lead qualification, part B How to define
problems through questioning and discovery How to expose capability
gaps in your prospects business operations The best questions to
ask in specific selling situations, and how to developyour own
favorites How to embed questions into effective conversations Best
practices for asking questions during sales conversations Five to
dos before ending the call Asking for commitmentbelief, care, and
act Common selling myths, debunked
28. Risk Appetite CFO decision What do I get? When do I get it?
How certain are the answers to those questions? Nobody wants risk,
but its a business fact of life Risk for taking projects, and for
not taking them Use risk for competitive advantage What typifies
the industry?
29. Lead qualificationPart BSecond-level qualification risks
(in plainEnglish, What caused my last opportunity totank?)
Implementation resources, operationalcapability, bias,
certifications, size, sector, known sales activities in theMiddle
East.Resources requestedTrade off questionResources giventime and
accessRed Flagswithheld information, etc.Organizational
willChange-inducednew points ofcontact, event triggers
30. How to define problemsPeople need water.Is access to water
a human right?Is it exploitative for companies toprofit from people
who require basicnecessities, such as water, to live?How do we get
water to people whoneed it?
31. How to Discover Capability Gaps As Is To Be gap Projects,
Prioritized Projects 1. 2.
32. 10 Good Strategic questions1. What are the major forces
driving changes in your business?2. What are the key capabilities
and resources required to execute strategy and achieve your
goals?3. In order to execute your business strategy, what are the
key things you must do well?4. What proprietary advantages must
your company create for your strategy to be successful?5. What are
the most valuable outcomes your organization enables for your
customers?6. What conditions have the most disruptive impact on
your business now, and will have in the future?7. What are the
greatest opportunities for your company to change the basis of
competition in your industry?8. How might these impact barriers to
entry? Switching costs? Relationships in your value chain? Product
differentiation?9. How sustainable is your market position and the
business model needed to achieve and support that position?10. What
are your options for growing your business in the future?
33. How to embed questions into conversationsTrust your
instincts!Telling is not selling, but neither is interrogation.Some
useful habits: Restate answers as you heard them Ask for help in
clarifying and validating Triangulate the problem Connect answers
or desired outcomes/results with somethingthat you do or provide,
but make sure youre on the target When applicable, always mention a
related customerchallenge, and the role you played in solving
it
34. Best practices for asking questions 1. Bring great
curiosity to your conversations 2. Dont assume you know the answers
before you ask your question 3. Endeavor to see the world through
your customers eyes 4. Listen for unexpected answers 5. Have the
agility to pursue a different pathway 6. Dig beyond the most
plausible answer.
35. 5 to-dos before ending the call 1. Look at the persons name
on your screen or notepad, and use it. 2. Thank them for their
time, and remind them how helpful you found the information that
they shared. 3. Summarize the key points you heard. 4. Remind them
of what youre going to do, AND what youre expecting, and WHEN.
Note: this is not one-sided. 5. Confirm the next step, including
WHEN.
36. Commitment has more than one step Believe Care Act
37. Common Selling Myths--debunked Its important to know
everything you can about your prospect. Its always best to start a
sales conversation by uncovering the customers pain. Following
trigger events will help you know the best time to contact a
prospect. Prospects are busy these days, and they dont have time to
talk to salespeople. CXOs dont want to talk to salespeople, they
want to talk to other CXOs. Customers have all the information
power anyway. * But each of these has a shred of truth . . .
38. Break!
39. Part 3Nurturing interest and conversations after
thecallProviding value and eliminating friction:integrating the
buying and selling processReciprocal expectations for following
through oncommitmentsEnsuring ongoing interest and interaction
40. Nurturing Interest and conversations after the callRule #1:
You are not just following up!Rule #2: You are valuable, and you
must live up to it!Rule #3: Be confident. If you have provided
arequested resource, you have earned the conversation.1. Review
your conversation notes, and match to company and competitor news
and announcements. This reminds your prospect that you are tracking
developments.2. Follow social media, including Facebook and Twitter
for fast-breaking information.3. Set up Alerts and RSS feeds, and
monitor them regularly.4. Ask and tell.
41. Providing value and eliminating friction1. Think about how
your prospect buys. Which networks do they use? What information is
most valuable? Which steps do they go through? Which outcomes
(results) are they seeking?2. Match the resources and steps
item-for-item3. Consider eliminating any resources and steps that
are not useful to your prospects.4. Learn from past activities and
experiment frequently.
42. Reciprocal expectations . . .Or, ask not just what can I do
for my prospect?ask what can my prospect do for me? 1. You offer
value, including time, expertise, and resources. 2. When your
intent is positive, and you demonstrate your integrity, it is fair
to expect the same. 3. If you dont receive it, you must always ask
whether you should continue the business development effort.
43. Create ongoing interest and interaction1. Develop and/or
find outstanding content, and not just about your product.2. Create
a blog to share the content3. Use social media, but focus on where
your prospects are, and how they use information4. Examine hashtags
and integrate the terms in your online content5. Keep everything
online current!6. Assign someone to do this.7. Measure your
activities to learn whats getting used. (assumption: used =
valuable)8. Parse!9. Personalize!10. Use references (quantifiable
benefit / time).
44. Time for questions . . . Andrew (Andy) Rudin 703.371.1242
[email protected]