I present this class twice a year at the Haas Graduate School of Business (the entrepreneurship class). It outlines a consultative approach the takes a lot of the "pitch & persuade" ickiness out of selling. If you have a good product with a real market need, you don't need to be slimy. Just talk to people, be curious, ask questions.
Marketplace and Quality Assurance Presentation - Vincent Chirchir
Selling (for non-salespeople)
1. SELLING.
Janice Fraser
janice@twotopLabs.com
Haas Graduate School of Business
March 19, 2010
2. People buy because they believe that you
understand them and trust that your
recommendations will be in their best interest.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 2
3. HOW HUMANS BUY
Jane identifies a problem (or several)
and wants to solve it.
She explores as many options
as possible...too many options!
Eventually she turns a corner and starts to
dump options. She wants to understand
and feel confident.
She will only buy when she’s confident that she
understands, and when she trusts the solution will
meet her needs.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 3
4. UNDERSTAND THE NEED
+ Ask more questions
+ Spend more time listening
+ Make fewer assumptions
+ Understand the customer’s reasons for buying (“Why?”)
It’s a conversation, not a presentation.
Less-successful salespeople
- Do most of the talking
- Give more product information
- Submit proposals earlier
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 4
5. ASK QUESTIONS
IN A CERTAIN ORDER
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 5
6. A customer sends an RFP. They have an approach
RFP in mind, and are focused on a specific thing to be
changed.
Figure out why.
Why is this project important?
Why spend your money on this? Why now?
1. You’ll hear about lots of problems.
2. Listen for NEEDS.
3. Write them down!
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 6
7. NEEDS.
A NEED is an expressed desire to solve a problem. You can
recognize a need when you hear the words:
wish need
looking for want
interested in would like
Each buyer will make a decision when they perceive that you
have met their top three needs, so write them down!
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 7
8. HERE’S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
What companies
The customer comes they’re talking to
at you with a range of
problems and
assumptions about the
solution, approach, and What approaches
you. It’s messy. they want to use
What solutions they
expect to get
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 8
9. HERE’S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
What companies
The customer comes they’re talking to
at you with a range of
problems and
assumptions about the
solution, approach, and What approaches
you. It’s messy. they want to use
What solutions they
expect to get
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 9
10. BACK UP, SORT OUT NEEDS.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 10
11. BACK UP, SORT OUT NEEDS.
“What I really want...”
“This thing is a nightmare.”
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 10
12. 1.
2. Is that about Yep. You
3. right? sure do
: ) understand.
: )
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 11
13. “PROGRESSIVE
AGREEMENT”
+Ask for clarification until you understand.
+Reflect their situation back to them.
+List top three needs.
+Confirm with closed-ended questions “Is that accurate?”
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 12
14. “PROGRESSIVE
COMMITMENT”
Every time they ask you for something,
you must ask for something in return.
+an introduction to another buyer
+sample documents
+set up the next meeting
+etc
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 13
15. EXPLORE OPTIONS
+ Help buyers understand options
+ Influence buyers’ perception of your product by
referring back to the three needs
Less-successful salespeople
- Describe solutions
- Make a “pitch”
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 14
16. MOVE FORWARD ON
TWO TRACKS
NEEDS
Impact
Reframe the problem
Match needs to products Value
Price
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 15
17. Address needs when the buyer trusts that
you understand.
You even
helped me
understand it
better
: )
Both of you are
increasing confidence,
trust and understanding.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 16
18. ELIMINATE OPTIONS
+ Welcome objections & concerns
+ Use objections to further clarify the customer’s
deeper motives for buying
Less-successful salespeople
- Try to avoid or divert the
customer away from objections
- Become anxious
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 17
19. TRUST BELIEVE UNDERSTAND
• No faking
• No hyperbole
• No persuading
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 18
22. BUYERS
Financial Sponsor
Has the authority to redirect the budget
Is your advocate inside the organization.
to another problem. Can answer impact
Willing to make key introductions. Can be
and value questions. Often appears late in
either user or financial buyer.
the sales process.
Detail
User Has the power to kill the deal on a
The person/people who will use the technicality. Could be IT, legal,
product. Often the person who “has the procurement, Financial Buyer, or any
budget”. Usually involved in developing number of other people. Can remain
the approach. hidden throughout the sale unless you
work to identify them.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 20
23. WHAT DO THE BUYERS CARE
ABOUT?
• Financial buyer:
• User buyer:
• Sponsor buyer:
• Detail buyer:
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 21
24. FRUSTRATING BUT TRUE
• If a sale goes wrong at the end, it’s usually because you missed
something at the beginning.
• An objection = an unidentified or unmet need. It is a request for
more information.
• Jumping to a solution prevents the customer from going through
their process. It doesn’t work.
• Every buyer has their own NEEDS.
• Any time a new person shows up late in the buying process, it’s
probably the financial buyer.
• For them, this is the FIRST sales call.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 22
25. MAINTAINING THE
BALANCE OF POWER
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 23
26. • Get progressive commitment.
• Every sales call is a transaction.
• You run the process.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 24
27. SALESPERSON’S BILL OF RIGHTS
• You have the right to kill the deal.
• You have the right to be treated with respect in every interaction.
• You have the right to meet any person who will affect the buying
decision.
• You have the right to tell the truth.
• You have the right to ask questions until you understand.
• You have the right to ask the prospect to do things for you throughout
the sale as an expression of their growing commitment.
• You have the right to say no to free consulting.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 25
28. PROSPECT’S BILL OF RIGHTS
• You have the right to kill the deal.
• You have the right to be treated with respect in every interaction.
• You have the right to thoughtful conversations that examine your needs and challenge
your assumptions.
• You have the right to sales meetings free from persuasive rhetoric and competitive
posturing.
• You have the right to a product or service that fits your needs.
• You have the right to great value for price.
• You have the right to prompt notification if the [selling company] is not the best fit for
your needs.
• You have the right to expect more value from [selling company] than from any other
potential partner.
(c) 2010 janice fraser
janice@twotopLABS.com 26