Using a Sales Process - Wins & Results


by Ian Dainty - Date: 2007-04-25 - Word Count: 570 Share This!

When considering how to sell in a B2B environment, there are two factors that are very important to each buying influence. Each influencer in a B2B sale looks at the impact of your product or service on the corporation, as well as the impact it will have on him personally, from a career perspective.

To simplify matters, I have divided these two factors into wins and results. Results are how your product and service affect the corporation. Will it bring in more revenue, cut costs, or improve productivity. These are all corporate factors.

However, remember that everyone also looks out for himself or herself. So they will always ask, 'how will this decision to employ your product or service affect me personally in my job? Is it a lot of hassle to put in? Will it really make my job easier, and will I look good to my managers?'

So a very important factor you must consider, when selling your solution to your prospects and customers, is how they have personal wins.

Picture a four quadrant square diagram, because I want to emphasize how important the concepts are that are conceptualized in the diagram.

Let's have a look at all of the quadrants, and see the results associated with each one. We will start at the bottom right quadrant, and move clockwise to the top right.

I Win You Lose: This says you are trying to beat the buyer in some way, and in the long run, you will lose the life-time value of that potential client.

I Lose You Lose: This doesn't have to be talked about, because it says it all. This happens when you get into an argument with your prospect or client, and get a short term gain for a long term loss. Stay away from these situations at all costs. There are some clients you do not want to do business with, for whatever reason. Don't do business with them and just walk away.

I Lose You Win: There is one situation where you may want this to happen, and that is to get the client in the door. You may, and actually should, offer all kinds of incentives and guarantees to initially obtain a client. This should only be done when you consider the life-time value of the client, and you want to show that client your knowledge and expertise.

I Win You Win: This, of course, is the relationship you want to build with all of your clients. Win-Win relationships form the basis for any solid experience with another person. This is obviously true whether it is a business or a personal relationship. And as you know, if you have been in business for any length of time, many business relationships turn into very meaningful personal relationships that last a lifetime.

I am not going to delve any further into relationships here, as that will be a major topic in a later article. However, I want to show you the difference between Wins & Results.

Distinction Between Wins & Results

Results

1. The impact your product or service has on the business process of your customer.

2. Results are tangible, usually measurable or quantifiable

3. Results are Corporate

Wins

1. This is the fulfillment of a promise made to oneself.

2. Wins are intangible, not measurable and quantifiable.

3. Wins are Personal

So you can see, there is a world of difference between personal wins and corporate results. You must balance the two of these, in order to make the B2B sale.


Related Tags: marketing, coaching, selling, sales training, sales, sales process, selling process, sales coaching

Ian Dainty has been involved in selling and marketing for over 30 years. Ian started his business career with IBM. He has owned, grown and successfully sold two technology related businesses. Ian has trained thousands of sales, marketing and management people on strategies for opening new account, selling to small and medium sized businesses, as well as managing large Fortune 500 companies.

Ian has written a book entitled "A Blueprint for Success in B2B Sales". Visit Ian's web site at http://www.hitechsalescoach.com/ and get a copy for only $9. Or subscribe to Ian's newsletter at http://www.hitechsalescoach.com/newslettersalespage.xhtml to obtain a free copy. You can also contact Ian at ian@hitechsalescoach.com Good Selling.

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