
When I think of the term “phoning it in” I’m reminded of bands I’ve watched live over the years. Touring and performing can take its toll but it’s easy to see when either the entire band or an individual member isn’t engaged. The crowd initially get their energy from the band and vice versa. If we see that you are into it than we will be. If you are not it will lead to a flat performance, a dead atmosphere, and we’ll spend more time in the bar than out front watching you.
For instance, in the space of a fortnight last summer I caught four greats – Depeche Mode, Sting, Blondie and Iron Maiden – and yes I have quite an eclectic taste in music. If it’s good, it’s good. Each managed to forge a connection but there was something about the Iron Maiden performance. They were about 14 dates into their Future Past tour by the time they hit Dublin’s 3Arena. There was an energy in the room that I had rarely experienced leading to their singer Bruce Dickenson commenting on it half way through the show. The band gave, we gave back, and it led to something extraordinary.
Believe it or not, this dynamic also applies to successful sales relationships.
Phoning it in
In my experience the majority of organisations making B2B offers tend to “phone it in.” These are lifeless proposals that look at the world from their own perspective and are more concerned with compliance and “filling out forms.” Nothing stands out and there’s no nuance that engages and energises the buyer. You just aren’t interesting.
Are you interesting?
Here are a few things that interest buyers:
1. Do you fit into their puzzle?
Just like you are trying to add contracts that make strategic sense to your portfolio your prospects are trying to do something similar. You are just part of the puzzle, but you still have to fit in and make sense in the context of everything else that is going on in there. At a high level this means that you – brand, product and service – fit with their strategy, values and technological ecosystem. They will also be keen that you dovetail nicely with the other suppliers in situ as there will be instances when you have to troubleshoot, or problem solve together.
2. Do they like you?
“It’s business, not personal” I hear you cry. Well those words came from the mouth of Don Corleone via the pen of Mario Puzzo – fiction. There won’t be any energy in the relationship unless there is a level of friendship and respect. This leads to access, introductions, influence and risk taking on your behalf.
3. Do you get them?
Have you taken the time to really get to know them and their actual issues as they understand them. Being seen, heard and understood is important to everyone. If they get a sense that you are operating from an alternative set of concerns – your own – it will lead to them clamming up before you know it. Make it your business to ensure that they are clear that you really understand them, and it will give the relationship more energy.
4. Do you understand their buying environment?
Are you able to negotiate the organisation’s buying environment? The products and services delivered today are far more complex than they were in the past. This is driven by technology and other innovations. The main decision maker on a buying team is now less likely to make a decision at the stroke of a pen. Given these products often impact on multiple stakeholders the decision maker is more concerned with everyone forming a consensus around the best solution.
This means that you will have to identify these people, work out what they are interested in as well as determining their level of influence. The chief financial officer is going to have a different set of concerns – value for money and return on investment – to those of the chief technology officer who will be interested in how the product fits in with the in-house technology architecture among other things. Likewise the chief marketing officer, who will be more interested in how your offer has a positive impact on how the organisation’s own products perform in the market.
Whatever about the buying team’s own internal processes and dynamic the main decision makers will be keen to see that you have a strategy for influencing the buying environment to help them build consensus.
5. Here we are now, educate us!
No prizes for guessing the name of the song from where I appropriated the title for this section. If Kurt Cobain was concerned with entertaining, then you as a seller should be focused on educating. One of the mind-blowing findings of 2011’s The Challenger Sale is summed up in this quote:
“That’s the real bombshell finding of this work. Loyalty isn’t won in product development centres, in advertisements, or on toll-free helplines: Loyalty is won out in the field, in the trenches, during the sales call. It’s the result of the conversations our reps are having with the customers every single day…Over half of customer loyalty is a result not of what you sell, but how you sell. As important as it is to have great products, brand, and service, it’s all for naught if your reps can’t execute out in the field.”
– The Challenger Sale (2011)
It’s clear. The most valued sales reps are the ones who are able to give their prospects a novel perspective, educate them on how their service helps them make or save money, avoid potential problems and keep them up-to-date on market developments.
With all this in mind it’s no surprise that “phoning it in” just won’t cut it anymore. This is serious work and given the money at stake you need your best people on it.
What happens now?
If you feel that you’ve been “phoning it in” and want to look at alternative approaches, click on the link below to arrange a chat. Otherwise you can connect with me on LinkedIn. You can also complete this scorecard to get a snapshot of your business development fundamentals.