FACE THE FUTURE – GROW THROUGH THE CHALLENGES
Winning consultancy Calvert Markham
Elevation Learning
• Formed in 1989• Training for knowledge based businesses: thousands of consultants
and hundreds of practices• Faculty are experienced management consultants• Working in UK and rest of world• Approved CMI centre• Won “Most outstanding centre” for the last two years
Today’s big questions
• Is there any business out there?
• How do I get it?
Which translates to
• Who am I and what am I selling?
• How can I sell my services better?
Observation 1
• Who am I and what am I selling?
• How can I sell my services better?
If you are not clear about what you are selling, it’s difficult for people to buy it!
FAB language
The specific needs and wants of a client (defined by buyer)
Our services
The language we use in describing our proposition when orientated to.....
The generic needs and wants of clients (defined by seller)
BenefitsFeatures Advantages
Observation 2
• Who am I and what am I selling?
• How can I sell my services better?
In consulting, the value of the proposition is related to the client’s perception of the consultant
Creating your own brand
“…tomorrow’s worker is going to operate more like an independent small company than a traditional employee. This is whether or not they are an employee. So self knowledge is going to be important.”
William Bridges: Redefining work
“Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.”
Jeff Bezos, quoted in: Brand you
People as brands
Core story
1. We are a large, well established, specialist training company– Supporting facts– What this means– Illustration
2. We design and deliver high quality development programmes
3. We work internationally across all sectors
4. We are highly regarded by our clients
5. Our consultants are first rate trainers and developers
6. We have a significant impact on individual and corporate performance
Which translates to
• Who am I and what am I selling?
• How can I sell my services better?
Observation 3
The average consultant is a reluctant sales person
BUT
"The service firms represented by true professionals (i.e. those who can do the work) are far more valuable to their clients than those represented by professional salesmen"
From: How to Buy/Sell Professional Services Warren Wittreich - Harvard Business Review
Fear of rejection
Will you dance with me?
Will she say “no”?
Observation 4
• The more time you spend selling, the more you sell
• But it is easy to be a busy fool!
Key activities
• Conversion: the skill and success involved in moving to the next stage of the process
and
• Qualification: Choosing which opportunities to follow up at each stage of the selling process
The need for extrinsic selling
I don't know you. I don't know your company. I don't know your product or services or how they can help me. I don't know your track record or who your other customers are.
Now, what did you want to sell me?
Different types of selling
Time
Extrinsic selling
Intrinsic selling
Extrinsic selling: Do I want to do business with this person? Intrinsic selling: Is this a piece of business I want to do?
Observation 5
• Not all salespeople are heroes
Customer situations
Complexity of purchasing decision
Experience and expertise of customer
Hi
Lo
Hi
Lo
Sale can be made in one or two contacts with customer
Sale requires an involved effort over an extended period of time
Customer needs a lot of help from salespeople
Customer familiar with product and can competently buy it and use it
Based on “Selling the wheel”, Cox & Stevens
CustomersComplexity of purchasing decision
Experience and expertise of customer
Based on “Selling the wheel”, Cox & Stevens
Hi
Lo
Hi
Lo
Want a standard productAre buying what everyone else buys
Are buying state of the artAre first time buyers
Want to be firstHave no experience
Are making a complex purchaseAre knowledgeable
Based on “Selling the wheel”, Cox & Stevens
Sales people
Based on “Selling the wheel”, Cox & Stevens
Hi
Lo
Hi
Lo
The Store ManagerEasy-goingGood team manager
The WizardEnjoys creating solutionsEnjoys the technical aspects and their application
The CloserHigh energy, extroverted, charmingBig-time need to succeed
The FixerHard working in building and maintaining relationships
Complexity of purchasing decision
Experience and expertise of customer
Selling style
Hi
Lo
Hi
Lo
Make it easy for the client to buy
Knowledge is your most important asset
Build the dream
Be your client’s strongest ally
Complexity of purchasing decision
Experience and expertise of customer
Based on “Selling the wheel”, Cox & Stevens
The sales funnel
Suspect ProspectTenderinvited
Proposal
…and disappear at any stage
• Performance: better qualification and conversion at each stage
• Value: using this to gather intelligence and build relationships at each stage
...is like a leaky pipeline. Opportunities can arise
Sale or turn-down
Where business comes fromSell-on business
Referrals
New sales
Most business is repeat business
Typical dragons of selling
• Promotion: – The dragon of call reluctance
• Prospection:– The dragon of self doubt
• Proposition design:– The dragon of falling in love with your solution
• Pitching:– The dragon of self obsession
And finally...
• Selling consultancy is about making it easy for people to buy
• When you’re not talking, you’re not screwing up
Contact details
Calvert Markham
• www.elevationlearning.co.uk
• +44 (0) 20 8642 9568
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElevationLearn
• Blog: www.elevationlearning.wordpress.com