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Sales Effectiveness: A Plan for Success in 2013

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Ralf VonSosen, Head of MarketingLinkedIn Sales Solutions

David DiStefano, President and CEORichardson

Gerhard Gschwandtner, Founder and CEOSelling Power

#SPSuccess13@daviddstef13

@rvonsosen

@gerhard20

Agenda Topics for Today’s Webinar

1. Shifting buyer behaviors and developing a new mindset and strategy to counter them.

2. Incorporating value strategies into your sales process

3. Tips for becoming a social selling pro

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Ralf VonSosen, LinkedIn Sales Solutions

Buyers Have Changed

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Buyers are more informed…

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…less responsive.

LinkedIn Confidential ©2013 All Rights Reserved

Buying process has fundamentally changed.

People buy from People,(1) who understand their business,

(2) understand them,(3) and trust to solve their problems.

What has not changed.

LinkedIn Confidential ©2013 All Rights Reserved 9

So what can you do?

FindRight Person

• Leverage Pro Networks• Target Individuals

Relate What to Say

• Gather Insights• Lead with Insights

• Leverage Warm Introductions• Utilize Social Channels

EngageBest Path

Changing Your Mindset

the start-up of you (by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha)

www.thestartupofyou.com

• Treat your career as you would a start-up company.

• Lessons throughout will help you advance in your career.

• Invest in yourself, build strong relationships and take risks.

How does that apply to you as a sales professional?

the start-up of you (by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha)

www.thestartupofyou.com

• Your are an entrepreneur, a GM, for your sales territory

• Your territory may be defined by geography, industry, company size, or a host of other attributes

3 Principles1. Permanent beta 2. Iwe

3. Breakout

Permanent Beta

“You remake yourself as you grow and as the world changes. Your identity doesn’t get found. It emerges. “

“Whatever the situation, actions, not plans, generate lessons that help you test your hypotheses against reality.”

A startup mindset

Competitive advantage

ABZ planning

Iwe

“Even if you realize the fact that you are in permanent beta, even if you develop a competitive advantage, even if you adapt your plans to changing conditions – even if you do these things but do so alone –you’ll fall short.”

“No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team.”

Transform relationships into networks

Always be strengthening your network

Who you know, is what you know

Create Break-through Opportunities

“The fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be.”

“But you can develop habits of behavior and habits of thinking that increase the likelihood that you find yourself in the right place at the right time.”

Mind on fire

Hustle

Intelligent risk

David DiStefano, President and CEO

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Information Flow

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Successful Selling

Account development

process

Dialogueskills

Valuestrategy

A clear “line of sight” into the activities and skills you need

Strategy to identify, generate, deliver and communicate valueImprove dialogue skills to ensure

high-quality customer interactions.

Balancing Strategy, Process and Dialogue

Richardson Confidential ©2013 All Rights Reserved

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IndustryAnalysis

CompetitiveAnalysis

Stakeholder Analysis

CompanyAnalysis

External ForcesCustomer ProfilesPotential Opportunities

Goals and ObjectivesChallenging IssuesStrategic Initiatives and Critical Success FactorsPotential Opportunities

Functional FocusRole in Decision-making ProcessPolitical AlignmentBuying BehaviorLevel of Access

Competitive PositionStrengthsWeaknesses

Sales Process in a Social World


Richardson Confidential ©2013 All Rights Reserved 21

Wearing your Client’s Hat

Make MoneySave MoneyManage Risks

Creating the Value Strategy — plan of action deliberately designed to identify, generate, deliver, and communicate the value the seller brings to a client

Communicate: Value not communicated is value not perceived by the client. This aspect of your value strategy needs to become a seamless part of your relationship or you will not get credit for the value that you and your team deliver.


IDENTIFY GENERATE

Industry trendsaffecting your client’s business

New thinking on the part of your client stakeholders

DELIVER COMMUNICATE

A coordinatedapproach to across geographies and business units

The value delivered to your client

Creating the VALUE Strategy


How do your customers define value?

�Help us plan proactively for change, threats, and opportunities in our business environment

�Build a persuasive business case that gets senior leaders’ attention

�Advocate strongly for our interests within Seller so that we do not have to

�Have a deep understanding of what our business needs to perform better

�Make us feel like they are “one of us”

�Have authority to make decisions and commitments on behalf of Seller

�Offer us preferred pricing and special contracting arrangements

�Bring deep expertise in our industry and trends affecting our business

�Assemble a competent account team that works well with our teams

�Help us be more effective and efficient in our own business

� Improve our clients’ experience with us

�Solve problems and issues both promptly and fairly

�Create a strong sense of urgency to seize opportunities in our market(s)

�Have a compelling vision for how our two organizations should collaborate to co-create value

�Meet and exceed agreed-upon performance requirements on a regular basis

�Provide an objective, strategic view of our business that is both accurate and informative

�Make it easy to do business across the multiple layers and geographies that make up our organization

�Navigate our organizational politics in a way that gets things done

� Anticipate challenges to our business

� Help us to organize our understanding on trends and challenges

� Act as a catalyst to create consensus among multiple stakeholders Richardson Confidential ©2013 All Rights Reserved

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Communication is no longer confined to you and your customer, over the phone or in-person, or at a specific time.

Customer Dialogue — communication constraints eliminated


A customer’s ‘first impression’ of a sales rep often occurs through a social media presence

Social media platforms like LinkedIn have given sales reps the opportunity to ‘communicate’24/7 and without boundaries.

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What outcomes are you looking for when you communicate with clients?

Test if your insights, ideas, and solutions resonate Learn more about the client and stakeholdersEnsure intended value is accurately perceivedBe regarded as confident (not arrogant)


Becoming a Social Selling Pro

Path to Social Selling Excellence

4 Actions to Becoming a Social Selling Pro

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Developing a Reputation: Building a strong online reputation that showcases your experience and increases your credibilityDeveloping a Reputation: Building a strong online reputation that showcases your experience and increases your credibility

Gathering Intelligence: Researching social information to prepare for sales conversationsGathering Intelligence: Researching social information to prepare for sales conversations

Building your Network: Developing relationships with people who can share information and provide referralsBuilding your Network: Developing relationships with people who can share information and provide referrals

Offering Insights: Providing meaningful insights that earn opportunities to engage with and influence contactsOffering Insights: Providing meaningful insights that earn opportunities to engage with and influence contacts

1. Build Your PROFILE

3. Gather INSIGHTS

2. Develop Your NETWORK

4. Contribute INSIGHTS

1. Build a Strong Professional ProfileAdd a photo, experience and skills that showcase the brand of YOU

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2. Proactively Develop Your NetworkBuild trusted relationships who can support your professional objectives

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3. Gather IntelligenceBe prepared for every interaction by researching contacts and companies

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4. Contribute InsightsShare ideas through status updates, and participate in groups

1.Wear your customer’s hat2.Develop a well thought-out “value

strategy” for customers and prospects

3.Leverage social platforms like LinkedIn to enhance your credibility earlier in the sales cycle

Your Call to Action:

Thank you for attending!

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LinkedIn Sales Solutionswww.sales.linkedin.com@linkedinselling

Richardsonwww.richardson.com@RichardsonSales

Selling Powerwww.sellingpower.com@SellingPowerMag

sales effectiveness: a plan for success in 2013 › sellingpower-webinars › 011613 ›...

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