| There are some more common reasons why | | | | and possess good communication skills. The Power |
| competitive sales opportunities are lost -- and | | | | Broker is an effective internal salesperson who you |
| specifically what you can do to win more often. These | | | | want championing your cause. |
| are the mistakes to avoid if you want to give your | | | | 3) Minor differences between our solution and the |
| competitors fits. Here are the top four: | | | | competition are overlooked. |
| 1) Your competitor understands the prospect's needs | | | | A friend of mine sells voice recording systems for |
| better than you do. | | | | emergency 911 centers. One "minor" difference |
| Sales management training includes a lot of strategies. | | | | between his system and those of competitors is that |
| One simple strategy for understanding your customers' | | | | his system has been approved by Underwriters |
| needs better than your competition is to resist the | | | | Laboratories. For years, my friend and his fellow |
| natural temptation to talk about yourself, and instead, | | | | salespeople made nothing of this differentiator. Then |
| keep the conversation focused on your customer's | | | | one diligent salesperson was carefully studying her |
| needs. If your customer asks you about your product | | | | prospect's cost components, and discovered that |
| or service - as they often do - answer their question, | | | | installation of a product that was U. L. approved would |
| then redirect the conversation back to your customer's | | | | qualify a 911 center for a significant reduction in |
| needs. A good rule of thumb is to identify at | | | | insurance premiums. This translated into a huge cost |
| least eight customer buying criteria before you start | | | | savings for the customer - and a nice commission for |
| talking about your product or service. | | | | the salesperson. |
| Sun Tzu wrote his classic book, The Art of War, | | | | Don't overlook anything! Differences that may seem |
| 2,500 years ago. In it he said, "If you know the enemy | | | | minor to you could be of significant importance to your |
| and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of | | | | customer. |
| a hundred battles. If you know yourself, but not the | | | | 4) No clear game plan to beat the competition. |
| enemy, for every victory gained, you'll also suffer a | | | | The one common thread weaving through all of these |
| defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, | | | | reasons for losing sales this: We don't slow down and |
| you will lose every battle." | | | | think. For years, salespeople have been told that |
| Between you and me, Sun Tzu had it easy! In 500 B.C., | | | | the key to selling is to think fast on your feet and to |
| all he had to do was learn about himself and his | | | | make lots of calls. This bias for quick thinking and a |
| enemy. Today, it's not enough to know about yourself | | | | high activity level is exactly the opposite of what it |
| and the competition. You also have to know about | | | | takes to win competitive sales. |
| the customers' needs. When you know the specific | | | | I'm not suggesting you make fewer sales calls. What I |
| ways in which you're different from your competition - | | | | am saying is that you need to put more thought into |
| AND you know your customers' needs - you'll know | | | | each call you make. Think like a coach thinks, and |
| which differences are going to be the most important | | | | make a game plan to win. Attend a sales seminar to |
| to your customer. And that knowledge is what will put | | | | sharpen your selling skills. |
| your name on the scoreboard. | | | | What's your understanding of your prospect's buying |
| 2) Key decision-maker can't be reached. | | | | criteria? Which of those criteria represent a |
| All decision-makers are not created equal. In every | | | | competitive edge for you? Which represent a |
| buying decision there exists a "Power Broker," one | | | | competitive disadvantage? Who is positioned most |
| person who wields more power and influence than | | | | favorably at this time - you or your competition? How |
| anyone else. When the Power Broker talks, others | | | | can you influence the customer's buying criteria - |
| listen. Think of an important prospect you are calling on | | | | or modify your offering, in such as way as to create |
| now. If he or she is not the key decision-maker, who | | | | a better match between what you have and what |
| is? The first salesperson to identify and win over the | | | | your customer needs? Your effectiveness in |
| Power Broker almost always wins the sale. | | | | competitive selling situations will be largely determined |
| To identify the Power Broker, ask your contact | | | | by the questions you ask yourself before each sales |
| questions such as, "How will your organization make | | | | call. |
| the decision on this? Who else will you need to talk to? | | | | In sports, when two teams are evenly matched, the |
| Whose budget is at stake here? Who's going to be | | | | winner will be the team that executes its plays the |
| the key decision-maker on this? Power Brokers derive | | | | best - the team that makes the fewest mistakes. To |
| their power because they have credibility with | | | | win more competitive sales opportunities, you must do |
| superiors, perhaps as a recognized expert. They tend | | | | the same. |
| to be strong-willed individuals who are goal-oriented | | | | |