The New Conceptual Selling Marketing 3360

Phil Bartos, Executive in Residence

Chapter 1: Why Your Customers Really Buy

People buy for their own reasons, not for yours. Myths of traditional selling: Push the Slinky Sphinx. Use anything that works . . . Focus on techniques Keep things on track . . . Customers arent stupid! Do more legwork . . . Sell smart not hard. You gotta believe! . . . Its process not rah-rah that counts.

Key: Focus on Customers Decision Making Process

Main principles: 1. Buying is special case decision-making. 2. Customers are predictable and logical. 3. Decision-process is sequenced . . . Identifiable and trackable. 4. Fit or no fit for your product. 5. Dont work against the customers decision process.

Tactical Planning: Three Phases of a Sales Call

1. Getting Information 2. Giving Information 3. Getting Commitment

Consider & contrast the classic steps of the selling process: Prospecting, Qualifying, Preapproach, approach, presentation, answering objections, close and follow-up.

Chapter 2: How Customers Make Buying Decisions

Types of thinking: 1. Cognition understand situation. 2. Divergent explore options. 3. Convergent select best solution.

Traditional vs Joint Venture Selling

Traditional selling and two false assumptions: 1. All potential buyers can use product. 2. Show and tell benefits lead to a buy.
Joint venture selling: Follows the natural order of decisionmakingcognition, divergence and then convergence.

Chapter 3: . . . Win-Win

Win-Win: Profitable and comfortable, but not a matter of luck! Win-Lose: Backlash . . . Two stages Buyers remorse,
then Buyers revenge.

Lose-Win: Buying the business Lose-Lose: Avoid by focusing each SSO on Win-Win

Challenges to Staying Win-Win

1. 2. 3. 4.

Theres no fit. Ive got to meet quota. My competition is undercutting me. My customer wont let things stay Win-Win.

Note: Its time to get off the dead horse.

Summary of Basic Goals of Every Sales Call

Dont oversell on expectationsunder promise and over deliver. Dont get suckered into a giveaway. Hear/Listen to the customer outlet the customer talk! BE WILLING TO WALK!

Chapter 4: Life Beyond the Product Pitch

Conceptual Selling begins with the recognition that every decision involves individual perception.

No one buys a product per se. What is bought is what the customer thinks the product or service will do for him or her.
Customer Concept is a mindset or solution image.

Identifying the Concept

Note: Treat every sales call as if it were your first call on the customer.

Focus on Results
Discrepancy Importance Solving a problem

Customerize Understand then connect

Common Mistake

Making a product pitch, first. Lesson: Cognition must always come first.

Advantages of Concept First

Allows you to learn more about the customer. Focus on results. Differentiate yourself. Minimizes importance of price competition. Position yourself with the person who makes the final decision. Identifies where there is not a Win-Win.

Chapter 5: Why am I here?

The Single Sales Objective Criteria: Product/service Specific, clear and concise Definable and measurable Tied to a timeline Usually not connected by, and

Chapter 6: What do I want the customer to do?

Traditional sales call goals: Usually salesperson-driven vs customer-driven Too general Unrealistic

Commitment to Action

Commitment to action: Win-Win - Joint venture Best action commitment

Is this Action Commitment specific? Does it focus on what the customer will do? Is the statement of Best Action measurable? Does this Best Action Commitment move the sale forward? Is this Best Action Commitment realistic?

What if you cant get the minimum?

Choices:
1. Ask questions about resistance. 2. Revise Minimum Acceptable Action downward. 3. Walk away.

Chapter 7: Why should the customer see me?

Valid business reason: Key ideas
Give informationwho and why. Foundation to discuss customers Concept.

Critical prerequisites:
Purpose of appointment customers perspective. Preparation. Optimum use of time. Courteous and effective. Set mutual expectations. Statement of reasons for meeting.

Setting Appointment Expectations

Guidelines:
Clarify your selling responsibilities. Clarify customers responsibilities. State purpose of meeting-customer perspective. Identify people to be present. Itemize materials needed.

Note: Confirm appointment.

Other Appointment Considerations

Verify meeting focus:

What youre doing. Is it what the customer wants?

Dealing with surprise guests:

Identify the guestsBuying Influence. Recap discussion.

Three Common Reservations - Responses

Valid Business Reason: 1. It cant be necessary on every call. Sales calls and social calls dont equal. 2. I dont want to come across as hard-nosed. Focus on mutual business needs. 3. I feel uncomfortable stating the reason out loud. then, is it a valid reason?

The Long-term Payback

Differentiation!!
being remembered and listened to can be an important differentiation from the customers point-of-view.

Chapter 8: Do I have credibility?

Basic reasons customers are reluctant to buy: 1. No need . 2. No money. 3. No desire. 4. No urgency. 5. No trustNumber one reason! Note: There are exceptions.

Check credibility on every sales call!

The sales call where you assume you have credibility is the sales call where you will lose it.

Do you have credibility? Weighing the evidence.

Evidence you have do have credibility-reactions and behaviors: Customer ready to talk about product. Customer asks how not why questions. Customer says you are trusted. Customer tells you personal information. Customer gives you clear and unambiguous attention.

Do you have credibility? Weighing the evidence.

Evidence you do not have credibilityreactions and behaviors: Customer make you jump through hoops and questions credentials. Customer controls the meeting. Customer is silent and guarded. Customer questions your logic. Customer is antagonistic or defensive.

Earning Credibility: Guidelines

Ask precise questions. Listen intentlyeye contact. Be yourself. Dont be a know-it-all. Stay Win-WinCounter antagonism with
specifics, understanding and dont interrupt.

Remember-Dont over promise and under

deliver.

Chapter 9: Learning to Listen

Its all about dialogue! Why ask good questions? Is their a Win-Result opportunity? Establish rapport. Position yourself in the selling process. Identify differences with competition. Reinforce credibility. Motivate and sustain customers interest in a Win-Win.

Why do salespersons talk so much?

Sales professionals say: I feel more comfortable being in control. Its my job to tell the customer about the product. Talking is what the customer usually wants you/me to do. Talking takes less planning. Sometimes your afraid to hear the answers.

The Questioning Process

Traditional selling advice: Never ask questions to which you dont already know the answer. Conceptual Selling advice: Never ask a question to which you already know the answer.

Chapter 10: The Five Questions Types

Types and definitions: 1. Confirmationvalidate data/information. 2. New informationclarify customers Concept and desired business result. 3. Attitudecustomers personal needs, values and attitudes. 4. Commitmentunderstand position. 5. Basic issueidentify customer concerns.

Chapter 11: Establish Superb Communication

Selling is a form of teaching. Important characteristics: Emphasis on dialogue. Use of pauses. Avoid question shock: Sales persons ask five or more questions per minute. and, waits one second for an answer. then, waits one second to comment and move on.

Golden Silence
. . . Think-speak Benefits of Golden Silence: Number of customer reactions increase. Length of responses increases. Reliability of information improves. Number of unsolicited responses increase. Number of customer questions increase. Open-ended thinking increases. Focus of discussion moves to Conceptual Selling. Increases time to think.

Techniques to Avoid: Dangerous Verbal Signals

Think about it. Mimicry. Yesbut. Rhetorical questions/tags ...be careful of its obvious. Why?

Chapter 12: The Importance of Differentiation

Information that makes a salesperson effective: 1. Identifies fit of product with customers Concept. 2. Demonstrates a salespersons is offering the best solution.

Differentiation: Why its important.

Buyers decision-making or selection process:

Random selection Selection by differentiation . . . acting on a perceived distinction

Linking Customer Concept to Product

Basic ways: Let the buyer do the sorting, or buyer differentiation. . . . Deadly approach! Me too. . . . Works in favor of low bidder. Emphasizing Unique Strengths . . . The fundamental task of Giving Information.

Chapter 13: Using the Joint Venture Approach

Benefit to the salesperson not the customer: Its natural. Its fluid. Less stressful. More predictable. Its logical.

Input, Ownership, and Commitment

Other advantages of Joint Venture Selling: Facilitates customer input into the process. Encourages customer ownership in the solution. Promotes long-term commitment. Note: Input of customers leads to ownershipleading to long-term commitments.

The Fourth-Quadrant Trap

Lessons learned: Stick to the process! Never give a dog-and-pony presentation to a group whose members you dont know. Never start with the a product pitch.know the customers Conceptmindset or solution image. Test the readiness of the customer by asking questions. When in the fourth quadrant, pause and ask for feedback.

Chapter 14: Beyond the Chumming Exercise

Every sales call must result in a measurable degree of Action CommitmentBest Action Commitment or Minimum Acceptable Action The investment is too great not to. Vague promises not a sign of commitment. Focus on specific actions and dates.

Incremental Commitment

Key characteristics of commitment: Mutual Incremental Not a chumming exercise Fundamental issue is time

Chapter 15: Dont Call Them Objections

Basic Issues are hidden causes of customer reluctance and Objections are manifestations of Basic Issuesa Lose perception. Objections are normally tangible. Basic Issues relate to the customer Concept. Never judge a Basic Issueits a feeling. Dont assume you know the Basic Issue.

Commitment Signals

Commitment Signal is a message from the customer that they are ready to move the buy/sell process forward. How long will it take? When can my? How much lead time to get started? Id like to check out references.

Chapter 16: Pre-call Planning and Rehearsal

Always start with the Concept! A sales call should never be a song and dance put on for the customer. The point of Conceptual Selling is to interact with customers and establish a dialogue. Planning and Rehearsing a conversation

No-risk Rehearsal

Rehearse with a friend. Brief your partner: Role of Buying Influence. Win-Win history. Describe the SSO Describe Response ModeWin-Result. Other unique or relevant information.

Pre-call Feedback Checklist: Stated Valid Business Reason. Lead with good Confirmation Question. Ask one good Attitude Question. Ask Commitment Question and invite Incremental Commitment. Use logic, key words, cognition, divergent and convergence. Leverage from Strengths. Use Golden Silence I and II. Use Joint Venture Selling. Check Credibility and move to Win-Win

How Much Rehearsal?

Basic guidelines: The more revenue the more attention. The more time invested the more important the planningapproaching the close. The closer to Win-Win and Win-Result the more important the manage each call.
Look to the future and long-term relationships.

Chapter 17: Assessing the Call

Basic reasons to assess each call: 1. Understand information exchanged and what information needs to be exchanged. 2. Judge the interpersonal data and evaluate interaction.

First Process: Review

Three related phases of the sales call: Whats the current information level? Whats the current level of differentiation? Whats the current level of Action Commitment?

Second Process: Sorting

Sorting prospective customers and SSOs: What Basic Issues were raised? What Basic Issues were resolved? What Basic Issues could be remaining?

Third Process: Feedforward

Put current information into next stage of the processfeedforward versus feedback.
Know where your are in each call/SSO and know what need to be done to move to a Win-Win.

Chapter 18: Selling Beyond the Close

Key related ideas: Your long-term success is intimately dependent on you individual customers success. All good selling, like all good buying, begins with a solution image in the customers mind. Focus on each individuals Concept.