The Real Salesperson on the Account is NOT You!

Have you ever noticed that after all the steps in your sales process have been completed, the client then goes behind closed doors, with their boss and whoever else needs to sign-off on a purchase, and you’re typically not in that meeting? It’s how most big decisions are handled. Afterwards, you get a call from your contact in the account to let you know whether you won or lost.

Truth be known, in order for you to win the sale, someone in that closed door meeting (presumably your champion) must be willing to carry your flag up the hill, and make a compelling argument as to why they should select your solution over other competing alternatives.  

That person, who is willing to carry your flag when you’re not present, is the “real” salesperson on the account. And, if they are indeed confident enough to make a compelling case that favors your solution, then your probability of success can soar. However, if they are not able to garner the support of other parties when it comes time to make a decision, then your chances of making a sale are greatly diminished. 

So, here’s a question all sellers should ponder: How many sales training courses do you think the typical “champions” in your accounts have attended in their career? The answer in most cases is none. And, since I’ve made the point that sales is the “least taught profession in the world,” it’s not only possible (but likely) that your success lies in the hands of someone who is totally unskilled at conveying your value proposition, and quite possibly, unprepared to make a compelling argument (to their boss or peers) that favors your offering.

Oops, that giant sucking sound is all your hard work going down the drain.

Therein lies the secret to excelling in sales—you create an extended sales force of people (internal champions, industry partners, etc.) who can carry the ball down the field when you’re either not on-site, or not directly involved in the final decision. Be aware that this is not something you have to force on customers. Most advocates of your product or service absolutely want to be seen as knowledgeable and well prepared when presenting a product or service to their boss and/or peers. As sellers, we simply must invest the time and effort to help them do just that. And fortunately for us, this type of investment usually pays big dividends.

As you strive to wrap deals up prior to the end of 2014, or you are working on deals that will close at some point down the road, ask yourself: What am I doing to cause the contacts I have within prospect accounts to be better salespeople? If I’ve seen it once, I have seen it hundreds of times, where the seller’s fate lies in the hands of someone who does not have the ability to convey value in a compelling manner and the net effect is you end up losing the business.

Some people might argue that teaching customers how to “sell” your products and services internally requires extra time. My experience has been just the opposite. When I invested the time to make my internal champions more effective advocates, it usually sped up the sales process, and also helped to ensure a successful implementation. What’s not to like about that?

The fix is a relatively easy one. Instead of focusing on selling your product, put yourself in the mode of empowering potential buyers to become better carriers of your messages. Said differently, stop being a salesperson and become a part-time sales trainer. It’s simple. Just start by asking, “Mr. Customer, would you be open to a couple of tips that other clients have used to get this purchase approved, or would you rather I back off and let you handle it?”

If you have any kind of relationship with the customer, they will almost certainly respond by saying, “Sure, I’d love some tips.” At that point, what they are really saying is, “Anything you can do to make me look good in front of my boss or the rest of the decision committee would be very much appreciated.” Bingo!

From there, go ahead and pull back the curtain and educate them on concepts like, The Herd Theory™, or about they can expand your value proposition using Gold Medals and German Shepherds™. You might want to introduce them to The Conversational Layering Model™, Conversational Dynamics™, or Mismatching™. Believe me when I tell you that your internal champions are just as hungry for effective methods that will successfully convey more value as you are. And, if you are indeed successful at making your internal advocates better conveyors of your message, everybody wins!

Call me if you want to strategize further…