In my conversations with heads of sales around the globe, I’ve identified seven trends that will impact how we need to sell over the next 3 to 5 years:
1. The selling context has changed
Markets are more competitive; customer needs are more complex. At a minimum, salespeople must recognise this and demonstrate their understanding of what the new context means for their customers’ business.
2. Who you sell to is changing
Strategic procurement processes have led to more “gatekeepers” and an extended buying cycle. Salespeople are expected to build effective relationships across the buying centre and demonstrate a broad-range added value over time.
3. Value is defined by the customer
There is a greater expectation that salespeople understand value as defined by the customer (rational, emotional, and distinctive) and use the language of value in their business discussions.
4. How customers buy is changing
Many large customer companies are selecting fewer global suppliers who can partner with them to address their enterprise-wide needs.
5. Pull, don’t push
Customers are driving a shift from “pushing” (the traditional reactive sales approach) to “pulling” (proactively identifying business partners). Sales organizations must fully utilize the power of Web 2.0 to get customers’ attention, demonstrating experience, resources, and capabilities in order to partner with them at the business level.
6. The level of conversation has moved up
The dialogue is a real business-to-business conversation, and not just a consult on specific needs. It builds over time. Salespeople need to develop skills to work at the business interface (that is, business acumen), addressing customers’ technical needs as well as their strategic business needs, discussing risk, and connecting with the rhythms and cycles of customers’ business.
7. Consultative skills are still important and …
More and more, solution sellers are selling higher in the organization by building customer intimacy with senior executives. They build it in three stages of sales and delivery:
- Lead with ideas. Begin discussions with customer-executive prospects about ideas or opportunities you believe are of high value to them.
- Jointly explore the ideas or opportunities with the customer buying decision maker and key stakeholders.
- Become a trusted advisor by ensuring realization of value for the customer.
This business partnership approach to managing the relationship between the two businesses ultimately provides more value for your customer and more opportunities for you. But it usually requires a greater investment in the development of the salesperson.
What themes do you see emerging as the next steps for your salespeople?
PDF Tags: sales, Sales Leadership, Sales Management
Hi David,
Nice job on this article! I’ve invited our Virtual Consultative Skills participants to read and respond to this article to share how this resonates for them in their experiences with customers.
The two points that stand out most for me are:
#3: Value is defined by the customer. Too often, salespeople approach me with a clear understanding of how they value themselves. It is evident in their presentations that they know their products and services, and that they believe them to be highly valuable. But these are table stakes. I need to understand that the salesperson either is knowledgeable about how to help create value to me, or that the person is willing to explore options with me. The canned, pat answer is not sufficient to gain or keep my interest.
#7: Create customer intimacy. This is about going beyond Consultative Skills and earning the right to be a trusted adviser. What a brilliant point! And a simple framework to follow.
Again, I appreciate your insights!
Jessica
Hi ,David I think your article is a good reflection of what I have alleys preach to my sale teams. Because most sale man think we still on push sale technique but the reality is this technique will have work in the 50 s when not much choices was given to the cumsumer ! not this day and age consumers have the buying power because of the unlimited options that is given to them. I will even go further buy saying not only (“knowledgeable about how to help create value for the customer”) but provide a full trailer made customer services for each customer …
Thank you for your feedback. I believe that all sales people need to understand the language of value that their customers use. This helps to define what is valuable and how they connect and utilise that value within their business. That is why I believe sales people need to focus on selling value and not products, we need to get behind the features and really link the benefits to the clients people, processes products and utlimately their business strategy. We need to get beyond products and talk the language of value!