B2B Sales Consulting1© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting“Helping you win clients and grow profitable revenu es”
BCS CONSULTANCY SPECIALIST GROUPGOLDEN JUBILEE EVENT
26 June 2007
“ How Clients Buy Consultancy Services ”
Tony RyanDirector, B2B Sales Consulting Limited
B2B Sales Consulting2 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
We help our clients sell complex, high value, ‘Business to Business’ propositions
� OUR VALUE PROPOSITION
– We help our clients win and grow profitable revenue s by improving
their sales effectiveness and building their people ’s confidence
� OUR PEOPLE
– We are experienced Consulting and IT Professionals with proven
Sales Track Records from KPMG, Deloitte, CGE&Y, Ora cle, Baan,
Gemini and BAH and extensive experience in managing companies
� OUR APPROACH
– We work with clients to design and deliver assignme nts which are
customised from a proven toolkit to deliver agreed results.
B2B Sales Consulting3 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
Our clients tells us we deliver results becausewe are practical, experienced, flexible & innovative
SHREEVEPORTmanagement consultancy
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Our clients tell us we understand their revenue issues because ….
� As ex- Management Consultants who have also run larg e businesses, we are uniquely placed to understand the issues that you face when selling Consulting Servic es
� As ex- Consultants, we provide you with coaching by people who understand your business and can help you to deliver the results that you require
� Having performed the roles ourselves, we can offer a multi-level approach , as we have knowledge of the sectors that you operate in and the issues that your clients are facing
B2B Sales Consulting5 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
We have developed our own proven sales tool kit, designed specifically for sales people
micro Branding
Qualification
The 5 Selling Steps
Closing
Team SellingTeam Buying
Partnering
InterPersonalSelling
Behavioural Communications
Sales Strategies
BidManagement
AccountDevelopment
LeadGeneration
Handling the1st Meeting
DecisionManagement
Competition
BenefitsDevelopment
PhasedSelling
Negotiating
Targeting
Buying Climate
Styles &Competencies
Campaign Management
SALES MANAGEMENTCAPABILITY
BEHAVIOURALCAPABILITY
INDIVIDUALCAPABILITY
TEAMCAPABILITY
Market Messages
CommunicationsWritten, Verbal & Visual
Win Planning
Sales Processes
New Service Development
Account Management
Win / LossDebriefs
MarketComms
PerformanceAppraisals
PipelineManagement
MarketPositioning
Pricing
Value Creation
B2B Sales Consulting6 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
What we’re going to look at this afternoon….
� Buying Climate
� Know how buyers buy
� InterPersonal Selling
� A Buyer’s view of Consultants!
B2B Sales Consulting7© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
How Clients Buy Consultancy Services
The Buying Climate -it’s all about avoiding rejection
B2B Sales Consulting8 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
How does the Executive Problem Cycle affect business development outcomes?
Non-performance
Issue Identification
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Project Implementation
Success & Improved Results- TOO LATE!
Critical Business Issue Development• CEO needs help to form ideas • needs confidence• needs confidant
Late for Critical Bus ISSUE Development• greater need for content & expertise• needs expert validation
BODY SHOPPING• filling resources gaps• commodity market
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The Buyer’s Mood gives a very strong clue as to what is possible or not
� Denial– Very difficult to bring to reality, so extremely un likely
to buy. Move on!
� Debater– Wants to argue for its own sake
� Honest OK– Believes they can manage their risks themselves.
Despite counter evidence, lack of ambition will inh ibit buying
� Honest Trouble– The best buying situation - to fix something ‘broken ’ in
an open relationship
� Honest Growth– Very enthusiastic buyer, pushed by ambition that
means you might bite off too much!
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Each Buying Personality has different relationship needs, but they can all buy
� Analyser– Needs detail, safety first decision– You provide facts to give him reassurance
� Socialiser– Can be over-expressive and misleading– You provide picture of how he will succeed with
his people
� Truster– Cannot be rushed, needs to trust– You need to be patient and sensitive
� Director– Task/Product oriented and likes metrics– You provide the springboard for his success
B2B Sales Consulting11© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
How Clients Buy Consultancy Services
Know how buyers buy
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WARNING: The hardest thing to sell is ….
Who me ?
…. Yourself - it’s much better to create buyers!…. Yourself - it’s much better to create buyers!
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Who needs a selling model?
� Have you ever got lost in a sales meeting?
� Do you want to avoid being labelled a Pushy Salesperson?
� Do you want – to create buyers instead of selling?– to develop a genuine understanding of your clients?– to make closing easier?– to build real “Win - Win” sales?– to enjoy business development?
First step - understand how your client buysFirst step - understand how your client buys
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Understand where your Customer is, before you start to sell!
DEMAND FULFILMENTCLIENT KNOWSWHAT THEY WANT TO BUY
DEMAND CREATIONCLIENT DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO BUY
SELLER KNOWSWHAT THEY WANT TO SELL
SELLER DOESN’T KNOWS WHAT THEY WANT TO SELL
DISCOVERY SALE
LEARN (QUICKLY)THE INSTRUCTION
CONSULTATIVE SALE
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The best ‘selling model’ is in fact a ‘buying model’ - based on how buyers buy!
Pre
Project
1st stepWhat REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?
2nd StepWhat BENEFITS“Success looks like”“It’s worth….”“We’ll have learned..”
3rd stepWhat OBSTACLESto success?-Capability?-Culture?-Financial?
4th stepWhat Trial Approaches“Would this work?”“We found this with another client”“What would be right for you?”
5th stepNow Close(safely)
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The major influence on your customer is your questions – but listen to their answers!
1st StepWhat are the REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?
Pre
Project
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Questions need structure to manage width and depth
� Width– Your meeting hypothesis should help you
find all the potential issues– PITFALL is leaving interesting stones
unturned
� Depth– Go down to the specifics to find where your
Customer needs help– PITFALL is debating instead of enquiring
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Think about different types of questions
� Fact finding– To access the rational buying issues
� Situational– To learn about the buyers political potential to buy
� Personal – to build the emotional relationship
Assume nothing….even if you know it!Assume nothing….even if you know it!
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How to listen powerfully and effectively!
� Are you listening to respond or are you listening t o understand? Which do you think is best?
� Dale Carnegie said:– “The secret of influencing people lies not so much in being a good
talker as in being a good listener. Most people, in trying to win others to their way of thinking, do too much talkin g themselves. Let the other people ‘talk themselves out’. They know f ar more about their business than you do. So ask them questions – let them tell you a few things.”
You have 2 ears and 1 mouth – try to use them in (at least) that proportion!You have 2 ears and 1 mouth – try to use them in (at least) that proportion!
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Customers will only buy what benefits them
1st StepWhat are the REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?
2nd StepWhat BENEFITS“Success looks like”“It’s worth….”“We’ll have learned..”
Pre
Project
B2B Sales Consulting21 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
Benefits can be identified in a structured discussion using 4 Dimensions
•• FINANCIALFINANCIAL••Cost, CashCost, Cash
••Revenue, MarginRevenue, Margin
••SHVSHV
••OPERATIONALOPERATIONAL••Productivity, Stock turnsProductivity, Stock turns
••Utilisation Utilisation
••Service & Quality levelsService & Quality levels
••CAPABILITIES and CAPABILITIES and
COMPETENCIESCOMPETENCIES••Sales effectivenessSales effectiveness
••Service levels Service levels
••Operational excellenceOperational excellence
••Supply Chain ExcellenceSupply Chain Excellence
••Market sensingMarket sensing
••Regulatory complianceRegulatory compliance
••CULTURE and BEHAVIOURCULTURE and BEHAVIOUR••Behavioural improvement Behavioural improvement
••MotivationMotivation
••ProPro--activenessactiveness
••Culture of innovationCulture of innovation
••Managerial behaviour / Managerial behaviour /
coachingcoaching
••Risk TakingRisk Taking
••ORGANISATIONAL ORGANISATIONAL
ALIGNMENTALIGNMENT••Value Chain AlignmentValue Chain Alignment
••Performance ManagementPerformance Management
••Employee TurnoverEmployee Turnover
••Improved CommunicationsImproved Communications
••Vertical integrationVertical integration
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Better to find the obstacles sooner than later!
1st StepWhat are the REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?
2nd Step What BENEFITS“Success looks like”“It’s worth….”“We’ll have learned..”
3rd StepWhat OBSTACLESto success?-Capability?-Culture?-Financial?
Pre
Project
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Building ‘Trial Solutions’ together is a two-way process!
1st StepWhat are the REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?
2nd StepWhat BENEFITS“Success looks like”“It’s worth….”“We’ll have learned..”
3rd StepWhat OBSTACLESto success?-Capability?-Culture?-Financial?
4th Step•What Trial Approaches“Would this work?”“We found this with another client”“What would be right for you?”
Pre
Project
B2B Sales Consulting24 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
Influence and help your Customer to make the right decisions
1st StepWhat REAL ISSUES?-Professional?-Personal?
2nd StepWhat BENEFITS“Success looks like”“It’s worth….”“We’ll have learned..”
3rd StepWhat OBSTACLESto success?-Capability?-Culture?-Financial?
4th StepWhat Trial Approaches“Would this work?”“We found this with another client”“What would be right for you?”
5th step - CloseInfluence and DecideAffirm ‘Reasons to Buy’Objections satisfied Pre
Project
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NEGOTIATE first then CLOSE
� NEGOTIATIONS are about finding out how to fit each other’s needs as best as possible
� CLOSING is about helping your client to launch what you have NEGOTIATED
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Progressive Closing makes advances at each step
� Buying Issues– What are the real issues?
� Benefits– Reasons to Buy
� Obstacles– Reasons not to buy
� Trial Solutions– This works for you
� Let’s do it– This is right for you
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How Clients Buy Consultancy Services
InterPersonal Selling©
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When dealing with people, don’t assume anything..…be extremely aware
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How important is the behavioural side of client’s decision making?
Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %Rational __?__ % & Behavioural __?__ %
B2B Sales Consulting30 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
Why do People buy People?Because the Behavioural dominates the Rational
� They may not be able to judge your expertise
� They do not want to be threatened or belittled
� Personality is more variable than competence
� Trust is more important than ability
B2B Sales Consulting31 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
We all think and act at 3 levels simultaneously.
� Emotionally– understanding the
personal context
� Politically – understanding how the
client organisation takes decisions
� Rationally – can not win here– but can be eliminated
Political
Rational
Time
Emotional
Relationship
B2B Sales Consulting32 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
Every new client will give you 6 Tests
CREDIBILITY VALUE TRUST
• Establish company credibility
• You add value to executive’s thinking
• Client is OK to admit problems
• Establish personal credibility
• You successfully challenge executive’s thinking
• Client is OK to ask for help
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But clients cannot buy unless Trust is growing
Credibility x Intimacy
Self-Interest x Risk
PreparationPeople
buy People
Manage the risk downPut Client
first
B2B Sales Consulting34 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
Client Decision Making Process has 4 parts
ROI and PricingROI and Pricing
Situationaland Political
Situationaland Political
Issues and BenefitsIssues and Benefits
Events and ReportingEvents and Reporting
CriteriaCriteria
MakersMakers
FundingFunding
TimingTiming
DecisionMaking Process
DecisionMaking Process
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How Clients Buy Consultancy Services
A Buyer’s view of Consultants!
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Why clients say they didn’t buy….
� “They talked a lot, but they didn’t
listen”
� “They didn’t relate to my situation,
or understand my business”
� “They didn’t understand my
worries”
� “They tried to sell me something I
didn’t need”
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Buyers know the difference between TYPICAL and CONSULTATIVE SELLING….
Typical ProductSales Person
Gives Information
Tells and prescribes
Product expert
Fulfils demand
Transactional Relationship
Over-values own expertise
Others ???
….and buyers know what they prefer….and buyers know what they prefer
Consultative Sales Person
Seeks information
Asks thoughtful questions
Solutions expert but….
Unassuming with own expertise
Creates demand
Intimate relationship
Others ????
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How are clients feeling when they are buying?
� Sceptical� Insecure� Threatened� Impatient� Worried� Exposed� Ignorant� Concerned� Suspicious
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How clients buy from Consultants - What are their risks?
� Their professional credibility
� Their company’s competitive edge
� Their company’s shareholder value
� Lost time
B2B Sales Consulting40 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
How clients buy from Consultants - Who do they buy?
� People– who are pragmatic and battle hardened – who roll up their sleeves– with track records– with grey hair, blood and guts– without grey hair, fresh and creative– who are committed– who commit– who they can trust
B2B Sales Consulting41 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
How clients buy from Consultants- What do they buy and what don’t they buy?
� Security� Speed to Market� Results� Skill� Good Communications� Openness� Team-players� Independent perspective
� Clever frameworks � Methodology� Silver Bullets� Theory
B2B Sales Consulting42 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
How clients buy from Consultants - When do they buy?
� When they need
– brainpower
– problem solving
– knowledge transfer
– extra hands
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How clients buy from Consultants - What does Gainshare mean?
� Evidences consultant’s commitment
� Eliminates the dreamers
� Economic necessity
� Shared risk/reward
B2B Sales Consulting44 © B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
What we’ve just looked at together….
� Buying Climate
� Know how buyers buy
� Interpersonal Selling
� A Buyer’s view of Consultants
B2B Sales Consulting45© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting“Helping you win clients and grow profitable revenu es”
BCS CONSULTANCY SPECIALIST GROUPGOLDEN JUBILEE EVENT
26 June 2007
“ How Clients Buy Consultancy Services ”
Discussions and Your Questions
B2B Sales Consulting46© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2007 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting“Helping you win clients and grow profitable revenu es”
How Clients Buy Consultancy Services
[email protected] 705209
Tony RyanDirector, B2B Sales Consulting Limited