NeilWarren
Posts 645
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I’ve been involved in a number of discussions in this group, and lots more on LinkedIn and elsewhere, that are apparently attempting to work out why this, that or the other version of selling activity works, or does not work, and what can be done about it.
This has covered the whole, current, set-up of B2C (business to consumer/public) and B2B (business to business) selling, in sales teams ranging in size from 1 to 10,000. We have looked at issues like “quality v quantity” both for things like number of telephone lifts or issues like how many physical visits a day should the “average” field sales executive be prepared to make.
The answers and contributions have come from the sales executives themselves, their sales managers, the company owners and a wide variety of sales support suppliers, including recruiters, trainers and product and service suppliers, again of every shape and size and from every level of executive within those suppliers. And they’ve also featured input from those who sell £50 million a year to as few as 5 customers through to those “mere mortals” – like me (currently!) - whose targets are somewhere below £1 million, and require tens or hundreds of clients to fulfil.
THE common factor across nearly all such discussions though is that they are often restricted to reflecting on what is (the status quo), rather than what might be (the future).
From these experiences, I have tried suggesting to people with a valid point to put that they will do better to try and engage others by addressing the existing problem (what I/we do at the moment is not working), and probably in a “negative” way that grabs attention, like the header on this question. It’s exactly the same principle that should fuel all of our sales efforts, based on the very sound principle that any sale, anywhere, could (or should) only happen when it solves a problem that our clients have (and not one that we have – like “I’m below target”!)
And, more to the point, it should be a genuine and heartfelt problem for which you actually want some real replies and solutions. As buyers, we can all see straight through the “sales” question posed as a warm up to “closing” us.
I will also take a sentence here to absolutely, openly, show you my cards, where I am looking to make a success of ModernSelling.com as an e-magazine for UK sales professionals, supported by multi-media back-up databases that allow our customers to visit, mail, telephone, email (or even still fax) UK sales team leaders to try to market/sell their products and services – with substantial “business intelligence” attached so that they can prepare any such contact. Crucial to this success is that we have a vibrant, employed, funded and successful sales profession and that the solutions, products and services offered to them are appropriate and (cost) effective.
Looking at that range of products and services, and getting the feedback from their owners about what’s happening at the coalface, has been the stimulus for me getting involved in these debates about “change” in the profession. And “change” it most certainly is. Our buyers/prospects have changed what they do and expect, just as one example. The fact that “marketing” is also failing to engage our prospects and feed them through to us, ready to buy, is another. And this last point fuels this specific question.
“Inside sales/Telesales” and “field sales” used to be all that was required to cover all the sales bases. But it now looks as if we have to start straying into the business of uncovering those “possibly interested” prospects as well, and then communicating with them through the channel, and in a time and “place”, of their choosing. Is this true? Do you agree? Is it affecting you – or your sales team? And what are you planning to do about it all, if so?
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