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Building the Sales
Engine
"Now you
sell the action plan, not your product"
from the desk of Peter Fillmore
July 2000
Here is a structured way to build a successful sales engine. This process
works for B2B direct selling at price points that require support from
multiple decision influencers.
Customers buy innovative solutions with an Internal Proposal -
Assume that your customer has to work through an informal buying
committee. They may never meet together to consider the merits of a
proposal. The committee has no obligation to properly consider your sales
arguments, or even to package your ideas in the proper context or sequence
to be understandable to a senior economic buyer, or decision maker.
Outsider proposals are easily ignored, so find a champion and help him or
her co-author an "Internal Proposal."
Dipix Technologies Inc. uses such a sales process. They
design and produce vision systems for inspection of small products moving
on conveyor belts, such as baked goods or automotive parts. The Dipix
sales team avoids product selling, focusing on how an innovative product
can be successfully absorbed into the customer's enterprise. Key points of
buyer resistance, as well as buyer opportunity, are uncovered early in the
process when it is more efficient and more fun.
"With the internal proposal approach, customers enjoy seeing themselves
written into the proposed action plan at all levels," says John
Lawrence, VP Marketing at Dipix. "Business, financial, human
resource and timing can all be considered, as well as the technical impact
of adding the new technology." The selling process starts with three
well-defined steps.
1. Project Requirements: Successful selling starts with
how you follow up early questioning and listening. This project
requirements, or needs analysis step is crucial for the eventual senior
decision maker because it defines a project and the internal resources and
commitment needed to get full value from your product. At this stage, you
have several goals:
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Understand customer application needs - why is there an interest, why
now?
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Understand current active projects in the customer organisation
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Understand how value and financial success are achieved by this customer
- Build a
reputation as a consultative partner with a value-based approach, rather
than as a product peddler
Then write
a short report titled "Project Requirements" or "Needs Analysis"
summarizing the key strategic and business issues. Send it by fax.
Telephone the next day to confirm the main issues, and engage the customer
(champion) in elaborating on any issues not yet covered. Update with the
additional insider insights you have gleaned.
Things to avoid - Do not quote prices. Do not rush to a proposal
until the project requirements discussion has produced a strong rapport
and a sense that the prospect values your consultative relationship.
2. The Business Case: As customer interest increases it
expands to embrace the needs and concerns of several decision-makers and
influencers, rather than just the initial project champion. Put some
dollar values on each and every benefit area you have identified. Build a
spreadsheet.
Now is the time to include solution costs. It is also a good time to
suggest meeting with more senior management to discuss the payback
potential. It is a sign of success if the customer is comfortable with you
talking to other key players.
Things to avoid - Price information should not appear anywhere but
within the business case. Never issue anything that sounds or looks like a
quote, even if the customer asks for it.
3. An Action Plan with Timelines: You create urgency by
including all the major events in the action plan, especially those that
follow the buying decision. This creates a "let's get started" feeling. An
important subtlety is that you also recognize the political problems, and
ensure that each decision influencer can see their needs met by this plan.
Now you sell the action plan, not your product.
For more detailed action ideas, a white paper is available on "Building
the Sales Engine." Just drop me an email request.
Your comments, questions, and suggestions for future articles are welcome
fillmore@westpark.com
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