b2b sales consulting - bcs.org · 1 b2b sales consulting ... •culture of innovation •managerial...

B2B Sales Consulting1© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.

B2B Sales Consulting“Helping you win clients and grow profitable revenu es”

BCS CONSULTANCY SPECIALIST GROUPGOLDEN JUBILEE EVENT

26 June 2007

“ How Clients Buy Consultancy Services ”

Tony RyanDirector, B2B Sales Consulting Limited

B2B Sales Consulting2 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.

We help our clients sell complex, high value, ‘Business to Business’ propositions

� OUR VALUE PROPOSITION

– We help our clients win and grow profitable revenue s by improving

their sales effectiveness and building their people ’s confidence

� OUR PEOPLE

– We are experienced Consulting and IT Professionals with proven

Sales Track Records from KPMG, Deloitte, CGE&Y, Ora cle, Baan,

Gemini and BAH and extensive experience in managing companies

� OUR APPROACH

– We work with clients to design and deliver assignme nts which are

customised from a proven toolkit to deliver agreed results.


Our clients tells us we deliver results becausewe are practical, experienced, flexible & innovative

SHREEVEPORTmanagement consultancy


Our clients tell us we understand their revenue issues because ….

� As ex- Management Consultants who have also run larg e businesses, we are uniquely placed to understand the issues that you face when selling Consulting Servic es

� As ex- Consultants, we provide you with coaching by people who understand your business and can help you to deliver the results that you require

� Having performed the roles ourselves, we can offer a multi-level approach , as we have knowledge of the sectors that you operate in and the issues that your clients are facing


We have developed our own proven sales tool kit, designed specifically for sales people

micro Branding

Qualification

The 5 Selling Steps

Closing

Team SellingTeam Buying

Partnering

InterPersonalSelling

Behavioural Communications

Sales Strategies

BidManagement

AccountDevelopment

LeadGeneration

Handling the1st Meeting

DecisionManagement

Competition

BenefitsDevelopment

PhasedSelling

Negotiating

Targeting

Buying Climate

Styles &Competencies

Campaign Management

SALES MANAGEMENTCAPABILITY

BEHAVIOURALCAPABILITY

INDIVIDUALCAPABILITY

TEAMCAPABILITY

Market Messages

CommunicationsWritten, Verbal & Visual

Win Planning

Sales Processes

New Service Development

Account Management

Win / LossDebriefs

MarketComms

PerformanceAppraisals

PipelineManagement

MarketPositioning

Pricing

Value Creation


What we’re going to look at this afternoon….

� Buying Climate

� Know how buyers buy

� InterPersonal Selling

� A Buyer’s view of Consultants!


How Clients Buy Consultancy Services

The Buying Climate -it’s all about avoiding rejection


How does the Executive Problem Cycle affect business development outcomes?

Non-performance

Issue Identification

Diagnosis

Prognosis

Project Implementation

Success & Improved Results- TOO LATE!

Critical Business Issue Development• CEO needs help to form ideas • needs confidence• needs confidant

Late for Critical Bus ISSUE Development• greater need for content & expertise• needs expert validation

BODY SHOPPING• filling resources gaps• commodity market


The Buyer’s Mood gives a very strong clue as to what is possible or not

� Denial– Very difficult to bring to reality, so extremely un likely

to buy. Move on!

� Debater– Wants to argue for its own sake

� Honest OK– Believes they can manage their risks themselves.

Despite counter evidence, lack of ambition will inh ibit buying

� Honest Trouble– The best buying situation - to fix something ‘broken ’ in

an open relationship

� Honest Growth– Very enthusiastic buyer, pushed by ambition that

means you might bite off too much!


Each Buying Personality has different relationship needs, but they can all buy

� Analyser– Needs detail, safety first decision– You provide facts to give him reassurance

� Socialiser– Can be over-expressive and misleading– You provide picture of how he will succeed with

his people

� Truster– Cannot be rushed, needs to trust– You need to be patient and sensitive

� Director– Task/Product oriented and likes metrics– You provide the springboard for his success



Know how buyers buy


WARNING: The hardest thing to sell is ….

Who me ?

…. Yourself - it’s much better to create buyers!…. Yourself - it’s much better to create buyers!


Who needs a selling model?

� Have you ever got lost in a sales meeting?

� Do you want to avoid being labelled a Pushy Salesperson?

� Do you want – to create buyers instead of selling?– to develop a genuine understanding of your clients?– to make closing easier?– to build real “Win - Win” sales?– to enjoy business development?

First step - understand how your client buysFirst step - understand how your client buys


Understand where your Customer is, before you start to sell!

DEMAND FULFILMENTCLIENT KNOWSWHAT THEY WANT TO BUY

DEMAND CREATIONCLIENT DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO BUY

SELLER KNOWSWHAT THEY WANT TO SELL

SELLER DOESN’T KNOWS WHAT THEY WANT TO SELL

DISCOVERY SALE

LEARN (QUICKLY)THE INSTRUCTION

CONSULTATIVE SALE


The best ‘selling model’ is in fact a ‘buying model’ - based on how buyers buy!

Pre

Project

1st stepWhat REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?

2nd StepWhat BENEFITS“Success looks like”“It’s worth….”“We’ll have learned..”

3rd stepWhat OBSTACLESto success?-Capability?-Culture?-Financial?

4th stepWhat Trial Approaches“Would this work?”“We found this with another client”“What would be right for you?”

5th stepNow Close(safely)


The major influence on your customer is your questions – but listen to their answers!

1st StepWhat are the REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?

Pre

Project


Questions need structure to manage width and depth

� Width– Your meeting hypothesis should help you

find all the potential issues– PITFALL is leaving interesting stones

unturned

� Depth– Go down to the specifics to find where your

Customer needs help– PITFALL is debating instead of enquiring


Think about different types of questions

� Fact finding– To access the rational buying issues

� Situational– To learn about the buyers political potential to buy

� Personal – to build the emotional relationship

Assume nothing….even if you know it!Assume nothing….even if you know it!


How to listen powerfully and effectively!

� Are you listening to respond or are you listening t o understand? Which do you think is best?

� Dale Carnegie said:– “The secret of influencing people lies not so much in being a good

talker as in being a good listener. Most people, in trying to win others to their way of thinking, do too much talkin g themselves. Let the other people ‘talk themselves out’. They know f ar more about their business than you do. So ask them questions – let them tell you a few things.”

You have 2 ears and 1 mouth – try to use them in (at least) that proportion!You have 2 ears and 1 mouth – try to use them in (at least) that proportion!


Customers will only buy what benefits them



Pre

Project


Benefits can be identified in a structured discussion using 4 Dimensions

•• FINANCIALFINANCIAL••Cost, CashCost, Cash

••Revenue, MarginRevenue, Margin

••SHVSHV

••OPERATIONALOPERATIONAL••Productivity, Stock turnsProductivity, Stock turns

••Utilisation Utilisation

••Service & Quality levelsService & Quality levels

••CAPABILITIES and CAPABILITIES and

COMPETENCIESCOMPETENCIES••Sales effectivenessSales effectiveness

••Service levels Service levels

••Operational excellenceOperational excellence

••Supply Chain ExcellenceSupply Chain Excellence

••Market sensingMarket sensing

••Regulatory complianceRegulatory compliance

••CULTURE and BEHAVIOURCULTURE and BEHAVIOUR••Behavioural improvement Behavioural improvement

••MotivationMotivation

••ProPro--activenessactiveness

••Culture of innovationCulture of innovation

••Managerial behaviour / Managerial behaviour /

coachingcoaching

••Risk TakingRisk Taking

••ORGANISATIONAL ORGANISATIONAL

ALIGNMENTALIGNMENT••Value Chain AlignmentValue Chain Alignment

••Performance ManagementPerformance Management

••Employee TurnoverEmployee Turnover

••Improved CommunicationsImproved Communications

••Vertical integrationVertical integration


Better to find the obstacles sooner than later!


2nd Step What BENEFITS“Success looks like”“It’s worth….”“We’ll have learned..”

3rd StepWhat OBSTACLESto success?-Capability?-Culture?-Financial?

Pre

Project


Building ‘Trial Solutions’ together is a two-way process!




4th Step•What Trial Approaches“Would this work?”“We found this with another client”“What would be right for you?”

Pre

Project


Influence and help your Customer to make the right decisions

1st StepWhat REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?



4th StepWhat Trial Approaches“Would this work?”“We found this with another client”“What would be right for you?”

5th step - CloseInfluence and DecideAffirm ‘Reasons to Buy’Objections satisfied Pre

Project


NEGOTIATE first then CLOSE

� NEGOTIATIONS are about finding out how to fit each other’s needs as best as possible

� CLOSING is about helping your client to launch what you have NEGOTIATED


Progressive Closing makes advances at each step

� Buying Issues– What are the real issues?

� Benefits– Reasons to Buy

� Obstacles– Reasons not to buy

� Trial Solutions– This works for you

� Let’s do it– This is right for you



InterPersonal Selling©


When dealing with people, don’t assume anything..…be extremely aware


How important is the behavioural side of client’s decision making?

Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %


Why do People buy People?Because the Behavioural dominates the Rational

� They may not be able to judge your expertise

� They do not want to be threatened or belittled

� Personality is more variable than competence

� Trust is more important than ability


We all think and act at 3 levels simultaneously.

� Emotionally– understanding the

personal context

� Politically – understanding how the

client organisation takes decisions

� Rationally – can not win here– but can be eliminated

Political

Rational

Time

Emotional

Relationship


Every new client will give you 6 Tests

CREDIBILITY VALUE TRUST

• Establish company credibility

• You add value to executive’s thinking

• Client is OK to admit problems

• Establish personal credibility

• You successfully challenge executive’s thinking

• Client is OK to ask for help


But clients cannot buy unless Trust is growing

Credibility x Intimacy

Self-Interest x Risk

PreparationPeople

buy People

Manage the risk downPut Client

first


Client Decision Making Process has 4 parts

ROI and PricingROI and Pricing

Situationaland Political

Situationaland Political

Issues and BenefitsIssues and Benefits

Events and ReportingEvents and Reporting

CriteriaCriteria

MakersMakers

FundingFunding

TimingTiming

DecisionMaking Process

DecisionMaking Process



A Buyer’s view of Consultants!


Why clients say they didn’t buy….

� “They talked a lot, but they didn’t

listen”

� “They didn’t relate to my situation,

or understand my business”

� “They didn’t understand my

worries”

� “They tried to sell me something I

didn’t need”


Buyers know the difference between TYPICAL and CONSULTATIVE SELLING….

Typical ProductSales Person

Gives Information

Tells and prescribes

Product expert

Fulfils demand

Transactional Relationship

Over-values own expertise

Others ???

….and buyers know what they prefer….and buyers know what they prefer

Consultative Sales Person

Seeks information

Asks thoughtful questions

Solutions expert but….

Unassuming with own expertise

Creates demand

Intimate relationship

Others ????


How are clients feeling when they are buying?

� Sceptical� Insecure� Threatened� Impatient� Worried� Exposed� Ignorant� Concerned� Suspicious


How clients buy from Consultants - What are their risks?

� Their professional credibility

� Their company’s competitive edge

� Their company’s shareholder value

� Lost time


How clients buy from Consultants - Who do they buy?

� People– who are pragmatic and battle hardened – who roll up their sleeves– with track records– with grey hair, blood and guts– without grey hair, fresh and creative– who are committed– who commit– who they can trust


How clients buy from Consultants- What do they buy and what don’t they buy?

� Security� Speed to Market� Results� Skill� Good Communications� Openness� Team-players� Independent perspective

� Clever frameworks � Methodology� Silver Bullets� Theory


How clients buy from Consultants - When do they buy?

� When they need

– brainpower

– problem solving

– knowledge transfer

– extra hands


How clients buy from Consultants - What does Gainshare mean?

� Evidences consultant’s commitment

� Eliminates the dreamers

� Economic necessity

� Shared risk/reward


What we’ve just looked at together….

� Buying Climate

� Know how buyers buy

� Interpersonal Selling

� A Buyer’s view of Consultants



BCS CONSULTANCY SPECIALIST GROUPGOLDEN JUBILEE EVENT

26 June 2007

“ How Clients Buy Consultancy Services ”

Discussions and Your Questions




[email protected] 705209

Tony RyanDirector, B2B Sales Consulting Limited

b2b sales consulting - bcs.org · 1 b2b sales consulting ... •culture of innovation •managerial...

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