Sam Manfer, Sales Mastery
Sales Force Training and Development - Focusing on Executive Relationships and Selling
The Two Most Neglected Selling Elements
There are two key tasks often overlooked, forgotten or not practiced when it comes to generating more sales.
Getting to profit center leaders and other key executives after sales are made. Most high level people don’t pay attention to how well you delivered your offering – especially if it went well. They just assume they got what they paid for and any vendor probably could have done it as well.
If you don’t make a point to visit with these key executives after your sale – to see if you met their expectations – then you’ll never be considered special and the preferred supplier.
After a sale is an easy time to get to the top people because you’ve developed relationships with subordinates that will feel comfortable networking you there. You’ve also got a good reason why the C-Levels should want to meet with you. That is, to see if their expectations were met, and if not, what do they want or suggest you do. Now, if you have met the expectations, it will be easy and appropriate to ask for more business from them.
After the sale is a great opportunity to start developing your high level relationships. These executives will be open to you. They will even feel they owe you. However, if you assume that because you did a good job they will freely give you more business, you’ll be sadly disappointed. You see, it’s not how you gauge your performance. It’s whether or not the key people got what they wanted out of your deliverable.
Becoming associated with the solution rather than the problem. You the sales person must tie yourself with the benefits that are being felt by the profit center leader and his staff. They must realize your efforts made those benefits happen. Otherwise, they will feel their subordinates were responsible, or it was a simple task that any of your competitors could have done. In other words you have to connect the dots for the executives that it was you and your company that made the success happen. You have to do this verbally and at the top level or else you won’t get your recognition or the C-Level relationships.
Most sales people only get to see the leaders when problems occur and a big sit down is mandated. If this is the only time you, the sales person, get to the leaders, you’ll be associated with problems. And who wants to do more business with those thought of as problems.
Even when the job is going badly, you should keep the top people updated and keep asking for what they’d like you to do about it. Don’t assume you know. Interaction on solving problems bonds people together professionally. And then you can be associated as a problem solver.
For more on this topic see my article on sales management - MANAGE DIFFERENTLY FOR MORE SALES, BETTER SALES & FASTER SALES - 2 Suggestions
Sam Manfer delivers key note speeches and in-depth selling work shops for those anxious to increase sales. His hands-on coaching turns individuals and sales organizations into selling whirlwinds. Sam’s selling awards and $ Million sales recognitions support his methods. His book, TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER$ along with his Matching Chemistry’s CD and sales seminars replace selling myths and clichés that frustrate decision makers with a proven approach that captures their attention. Follow Sam’s C-Level Selling Blog for more insights. Sign-up for his free Selling E-Zine.
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