INTERESTING SENIOR EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES
From the 1990′s
Michael Marshall
‘The Business Doctor’
Number 8
‘MAJOR ACCOUNTS SALES STRATEGY’
3 stages for a decision maker to by
1. recognition of need
2. evaluation options
3. resolution of any concerns about the vendor or the purchase
4. any implementation of details regarding service, delivery or installment
Need to ask many questions to uncover customer problems, concerns or dissatisfactions
Need to get customer to state and acknowledge the problem or dissatisfactions
Need interactive discussion of your products and services can help
Need to uncover all key contact regarding the customer problem, issue or need and then communicate with them
Studies of effective sales people indicate that when a need or problem is uncover, they do not discuss features and benefits of products or services until they get a thorough understanding to the problem and needs
Need to uncover the specific criteria for buying and discuss how your product s or service meet or exceed the criteria
Never tell the customer that their criteria for buying is wrong.
This will only alienate them and may actually reinforce their thinking even if not accurate.
Only discuss how your products and service meet or exceed the criteria.
Resolution of any concerns is critical and probing them more often will normally uncover other concerns needing attention.
Need to get buyers to share their feelings, thoughts, worries, concerns and any reluctance
Need to help buyers measure benefits of soft differentiators as well as the more bold or obvious ones
Studies show when following up with buyers who purchased based on a lower price, 64% of the time the real reason turns out to be something other than what the sales person new or thought