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TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 1
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Welcome
Welcome to The Trusted Digital Media Advisor. The digital advertising opportunity is immense. For most SMBs, understanding the
landscape, identifying the opportunities and making the best choices requires a partner – a Trusted Digital Media Advisor.
This program is designed to help you become just that. From providing solutions to truly becoming your customer’s trusted advisor, this program will focus on the practice of a sales framework that shifts the focus from the seller (you) to the buyer (your prospect or customer).
Great just isn’ t good enough.
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 2
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
The Trusted Digital Media Advisor
What does it mean to be a Trusted Digital Media Advisor?
There are many ways to consider this simple chart. For the purposes of this program,
we’ve defined these three stages in following ways: Solution Based
At this stage, the digital media advisor (you) is having conversations that identify which products and services (solutions) will solve specific business issues. The customer may be new to digital media, or not completely convinced of its value. Relationship Based
Here, “relationship” does not refer to the glad-‐handing, baked good-‐bearing salesman of yore who believed his success to be a result of his charisma and likeability. In today’s market, buyers value relationships with sellers who bear gifts of fresh ideas and actionable insight.
As the customer experiences the positive results of your partnership, trust and credibility increase. You are increasingly positioned as the digital media expert and you are
Adapted from David Maister, The Trusted Advisor
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 3
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
able to help your customer make better, more informed decisions about his or her digital strategy and business. Trust Based
In this stage, your conversations are no longer limited to products and budgets. You have established a truly collaborative partnership with your customer and are working together to “constantly innovate around their approach, enabling them to take advantage of our increasingly digital society and capitalize on the trends we’re seeing …” -‐ Nikesh Arora, SVP and Chief Business Officer, Google. Please consider three of your accounts (A: a top account, B: a new account with untapped potential and C: an account that isn’t growing.) Where would you plot your relationship with each account in the matrix above?
What actions might you consider to… deepen your personal relationship with each account?
broaden the scope of business issues your customer engages in with you, formally or informally?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 4
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Course Outline
1. Introduction
• The Trusted Digital Media Advisor
• Introductions
• Why use a sales process? 2. Digital Value Proposition
• Mapping your customers
• Mapping your industry
• Identifying the issues
• Describing benefits, not features 3. Plan
• What to know before you go
• Defining a purpose and desired outcome
• Using a pre-‐call planning template 4. Open
• Building rapport
• Sharing an agenda
• Delivering a positioning statement 5. Identify
• Understanding the purpose of discovery
• Identifying emotional and logical needs
• Following the discovery flow
• Summarizing your discovery 6. Recommend
• Defining the elements of your story
• Designing a customized solution 7. Handle Objections
• Putting objections in context
• Applying the objection handling process
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 5
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
• Responding to common objections 3. Close
• Closing on your desired outcome
• Choosing a closing approach
• Setting expectations and next steps 3. Summary
• Cumulative practice
• Key takeaways
• Action plan At the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Implement a repeatable sales process that will enable you consistently to do the right things on purpose.
• Be more purposeful in your customer interactions by practicing more thoughtful pre-‐call planning.
• Practice more effective inquiry to identify the customer’s problem and why he or she would like to solve it.
• Present your recommendation in a way that engages the customer’s logical and emotional decision-‐making process.
• Listen to customer objections and find the opportunities they present.
• Gain commitment from customers for desired next steps.
"I would visualize things coming to me. It would just make me feel better. Visualization works if you work hard. That's the thing. You can't just visualize and go eat a sandwich."
- Jim Carrey
Actor and Comedian
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 6
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Personal Introductions
Name
Current role? Past experience?
What is the greatest challenge you face (that is under your control) when working with customers to invest in digital marketing?
After reviewing the learning objectives for this course, what one thing would help you be more effective in your role?
If this training is effective, how will you know?
What would you like to be remembered for at your company?
Why am I using all this ink? Studies indicate that handwriting notes helps aid retention when learning.
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 7
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
The Difference between Selling and Buying
How does it feel to be “sold to”?
How does it feel to buy something?
What is the difference between the two experiences?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 8
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Selling to the Empowered Customer
The power dynamic of the sales interaction has changed dramatically. Salespeople no longer control access to information — their product specifications, price list, stock levels, competitor offers — all this and more is often easily available for customers. In this age of the empowered customer and self-‐service, why even have sales people?
“While our access to raw information has grown exponentially, our time to process this information has declined rapidly, which has placed an unprecedented premium on the act of meaning-‐making.”
-‐ George Dyson, Futurist The explosion of information and choice means that more than ever, people need help
to narrow their options to the most meaningful ones. Credible experts who have earned their trust (that’s you) have an enormous opportunity to help them identify the problem they wish to solve, and to help them make better, more informed choices. What have you noticed about the way customers have changed?
What impact has this had on the way you work with customers?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 9
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
What Makes You Different?
One of the keys to selling is being able communicate how your products and services solve problems and create value for the customers. While mastery of product knowledge is critical, understanding how customers leverage those products and how it impacts their business is a story we can all get better at telling. What value does your company provide? What are some key features of your company? What are the benefits (to the customer) of those features?
Features Benefits
How are you different? Circle those features that differentiate your company from the competition. How do you know if they are truly a differentiating feature?
1. It is unique to your company. (Has any company ever said, “We provide mediocre customer service”?)
2. It’s something the customer cares about. (Your building might be LEED certified – does this matter to your customers?)
3. You can back up your claim.
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 10
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Delivering a 3x3
Understanding your differentiating features is not enough. You must be able to communicate the benefits of your features with clarity and conviction. It can be easy to ramble on for 10 minutes about the history of your company and why you think you could be the right partner for your customer. The challenge is to focus your thoughts in a clear, easy-‐to-‐understand way and do this in a short amount of time.
An excellent technique for communicating the key components of your value proposition is this classic three-‐step structure:
• First, preview your key points – tell them what you’re going to tell them.
• Second, explain each of your key points in detail – tell them.
• Third, summarize your key points – tell them what you told them.
3x3 worksheet
The 3 key features we offer to our customers are: 1.
2.
3.
The first key feature is:
The main benefits our customers receive are:
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 11
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
The second key feature we offer is:
The main benefits our customers receive are:
The third key feature we provide is:
The main benefits our customers receive are:
So, in summary, the key benefits we provide our customers are: 1.
2.
3.
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 12
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Speak in Terms of the Customer’s Interests
You can tell your customer a lot about you, your company, and your products and services but if you do not connect that information to problems your customer wants to solve, it will make very little difference. Information must be communicated in a way that immediately answers the question, “What’s in it for me, the customer?”
Using the structure of Link – Feature – Bridge – Benefit (LFBB) is a simple way to consistently communicate in a way that speaks to the customer’s interests.
A link calls back to something the customer said previously.
A feature is a fact about a product (that can be proven).
A bridge is a short phrase using the word “you” that pivots the feature to the benefit.
A benefit is how the customer would use or experience the feature.
“Just because I don’t care doesn’t mean I don’t understand.” - Homer Simpson, Television Dad
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 13
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Strong Growth Ahead for Local Online
22 Google confidential 22 Google confidential
Strong Growth Ahead for Local Online
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TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 14
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
LFBB: Digital Marketing
Customer
Link
Feature
Bridge
Benefits
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 15
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
LFBB: AdWords
Customer
Link
Feature
Bridge
Benefits
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 16
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
LFBB: ____________________________________
Customer
Link
Feature
Bridge
Benefits
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 17
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Check Your Jargon
Sometimes, our experience and expertise can work against us. It’s easy to forget that words and concepts that are second nature to us can be confusing or totally foreign to customers. Part of our role is to educate people about digital marketing to help them make an informed, confident decision. Being able to translate industry jargon into clear, relatable language is a big part of what helps digital media experts gain their customers’ trust.
Words and concepts to consider
Alternative phrasing/explanations
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” - George Bernard Shaw
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 18
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Why Use a Process?
Consistently good results happen on purpose. When you look closely at people who excel in their work, you almost always find a commitment to a process built on solid fundamentals. Successful professionals are usually very disciplined about following a consistent process, even if this process is subconscious. We often refer to this as being “unconsciously competent.”
Internalizing a sales process reduces the “mental gymnastics” required to focus on the mechanics of the interaction and allows you to relax, turn the focus to the client and respond genuinely and creatively in the moment.
TDMA Sales Process
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 19
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PLAN
source: thinkwithgoogle.com
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 20
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Do Your Homework
Business owners don’t have time to sit and play 20 questions with sales people anymore. (If they do, that may not be someone whose business you want.) Customers expect their potential partners to have done their homework, to know the basic facts about their business and to be prepared to offer insights and value before they even sit down for a meeting. The more prepared you are, the greater your credibility. tip: People always want to know, “What are other people like me doing that’s working?”
Know Before You Go
1. Review the customer’s website. Have a basic understanding of the business. What’s the flagship product or service? Whom is the customer trying to reach? What does the company use their website for? Experience the company’s mobile presence. Visit their store.
2. Do some research. Is your customer already doing online marketing? Is the company in the organic search results? How competitive is the ad space? Who are your customer’s competitors? How different are they?
3. Speak your customer’s language. What vertical is your customer in? What is the company’s sales cycle? What challenges does your customer face? What case studies or success stories does your company have that would be relevant?
4. Plan an online strategy. What could be a potential AdWords strategy for the customer? What products might help your customer’s business?
What else would you suggest?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 21
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Defining the Purpose and Desired Outcome
Defining these two simple objectives can have a tremendous impact on the results of your meetings. Clarifying purpose and desired outcomes helps to focus your energy and set the stage for the rest of your preparation. The challenge is that you must give yourself the mental space to stop and think, even if only for a couple of minutes. In fact, two minutes is usually all it takes to kick start your preparation so that the best version of yourself shows up at the meeting. Purpose: “Why are we having the meeting? What is the benefit to the
customer?” Desired outcomes: “What does success look like at the end of this meeting?”
Choose one of your key upcoming meetings and think through these key questions. Purpose
Desired Outcome
tip: During the initial getting-‐to-‐know-‐you meeting, sales people often say, “The purpose of this meeting is for me to understand a little bit more about your business, for you to hear about how my company helps business like yours and then for us to see if there’s a good fit.” Based on this stated purpose, who will receive the greatest benefit from this meeting? Who should (always) benefit from meeting with you?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 22
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How might you restate the purpose of this meeting to be more customer-‐centric?
Now, follow through and make this more than a spin on words. Deliver the benefit.
Prep Template
Using the Prep Template on the following page, think through an upcoming meeting.
What else would you add to your preparation plan?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 23
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TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 24
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OPEN | Building Rapport
When you meet with a customer, your immediate goal is to build rapport. This is true on the first meeting, the second meeting or the 20th meeting. Rapport refers to a level of comfort between two people. To build rapport with customers, you must behave in ways that align with their values and interests.
• Be prepared and genuinely interested.
• Know your audience. In their limited available time, senior executives are more interested in knowing how you will create value for their organization. With the people you will be working with on a day-‐to-‐day basis, you may need to spend (or be more open to spending) more time building personal rapport – they want to know that you’ll be someone they can work closely with.
• Know when to bring preliminary pleasantries to an end and transition in to the business conversation.
tip: Have you ever heard the saying, “All things being equal, people prefer to do business with people they like”? Research shows that actually, people prefer to do business with people whom they think like them. So the best way to build rapport and long term relationships with customers is to demonstrate genuine interest and curiosity about them, and their business.
Preliminary Pleasantries
Most meetings begin with some preliminary pleasantries. With new relationships, this is especially important and a great opportunity to find some common ground with customers, outside the scope of the typical discussions. What research might you do beforehand to build rapport and find common ground?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 25
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“We Are Google”
What are some of the opinions and perceptions customers might already have about Google?
Positive Negative
How can those opinions help or hinder you when working with customers?
How can you overcome these perceptions?
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 26
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Sharing the Agenda
Opening the business conversation can happen in a formal way (e.g. using a printed agenda) or a less formal way (e.g. asking the customer subtle questions to determine their priorities). Regardless of whether you are deliberate about sharing your agenda or not, having a clear, pre-‐determined agenda is a best practice. It’s also critical, as you start the meeting, that the customer is part of the agenda creation process. You must gain their input along the way to make sure you are headed down the proper path.
Elements of an effective agenda/agenda statement are as follows:
• Purpose: State the purpose of the meeting in a customer benefit-‐oriented manner, i.e., why are we having the meeting and what’s in it for the customer?
• Objectives/topics: List the few topics that you expect to discuss with the customer that will enable the meeting’s purpose to be accomplished.
• Gain customer input: Solicit feedback to make sure you are headed down the right path and addressing what’s most important to the customer.
• Transition to your positioning statement: Once you confirm the agenda, transition to your positioning statement.
What does setting an agenda for the meeting do for you?
What does it do for the client?
“Five frogs are sitting on a log. Four decide to jump off. How many are left? Answer: Five.
Why? Because there’s a difference between deciding and doing.” –Mark L. Feldman & Michael F. Spratt
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 27
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Agenda Statement Worksheet
Prepare your agenda statement for an upcoming call or meeting. Purpose
Outline
Input
Transition
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 28
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Your Positioning Statement
A positioning statement is a 90 second overview of who you are and how you work with customers. It helps build your credibility, gives context to the conversation and helps the customer begin to connect your work to the issues he or she faces.
The structure of a positioning statement is:
1. Describe what you focus on doing. 2. Describe the type of customer you serve and a major problem they typically
experience (something this customer might also be experiencing).
3. Describe how your typical customer benefits from working with you. 4. Bridge to the Identify step with a question. tip: Make this about the customer and their world, not about you. Your positioning statement should instantly get the customer thinking about their own situation. Try out your positioning statement on someone. If their reaction is, “Oh. That’s interesting,” take some time to work on it. The initial moment of a sales conversation is critical -‐ you must immediately establish relevancy and credibility. Your positioning statement should engage people and leave them wanting to know more.
tip: Keep it short!
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 29
©Google 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any process without permission in writing from Google, Inc.
Positioning Statement Worksheet
Describe what you focus on doing.
Describe the type of customer you serve and a major problem they typically experience.
Describe how your typical customer benefits from working with you.
Bridge to the Identify step with a question.
Practice delivering the Agenda Statement and Positioning Statement in one step.
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 30
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IDENTIFY | Why Ask Questions?
What logical needs is the customer attempting to address? What are the emotional needs that will convince him or her to act? Identifying these needs is the next step of the process. On average, in a successful meeting, what percentage of the time should you be speaking vs. listening?
How can asking the right questions help you to strengthen your relationship and create opportunities?
How can “experience” help you and hurt you when asking questions to understand the customer’s business?
Do Don’t
• Listen for what’s different • Listen for what’s familiar • See your customer as a unique
person • See your customer as someone filling
a role • Listen to understand • Listen to respond • Be a “curious” listener • Be a “judgmental” listener
“Good questions do not merely elicit information the client already knows; they provoke a deeper exploration and insight on the part of the client.”
- Mahan Khalsa
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 31
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Being a Better Listener
There are few skills in life that will have a more dramatic positive impact on relationships, both professionally and personally, than good listening. In a recent NPR interview, Tony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, discussed how the nature of our work has changed. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Center identified the major shift as “… from physical skill to skill that has more to with cognitive function, and more to do with interacting with other people.” Active listening is now a skill that is important in 75 percent of jobs, which is an increase of 50 percent from jobs in the 1970s. (Siegel 2011)
“The difference between listening and active listening is what your wife or partner or a friend will always tell you you don’t do, which is to hear what they say and act on it; that is, to incorporate what they’re telling you into your behaviors,” says Carnevale.
What is the difference between “listening to respond” and “listening to understand”?
How do you feel when you are interrupted or when a person you are talking with “finishes your sentences” for you? Why?
Does good listening serve emotional or logical needs? Please explain.
Keys to Listening
• Hear others’ opinions before expressing your own.
• If you want to solve a problem, you have to understand it first.
• Learn how to acknowledge opinions or statements without agreeing or disagreeing with them.
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 32
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Creating an Opportunity Gap
You begin by asking general current situation questions and then move to more specific questions about the business. The goal is to continue building trust and rapport with the customer by being genuinely curious about the customer and his or her business. You also want to explore the areas of the business where we can provide value.
The number one goal of discovery is to create an opportunity gap by making your customer aware of the “gap” between where he is and where he wants to be. You also need to discuss goals and priorities and why these are so important.
The majority of time in an initial meeting should be spent in discovery mode because it provides the information needed to present a relevant solution that addresses the customer’s objectives, pain points, and goals. An effective meeting can help the customer to think more clearly about his business, his challenges and opportunities and what he needs to do about it.
On the following pages you’ll find examples of current situation and desired situation questions you can use in initial meetings. You probably won’t ask all of these questions but you need to follow a solid process that will effectively explore these key areas and give you the information you need.
TDMA | I : BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS 33
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SMB Advertising Objectives
What questions would you prepare to identify your customer’s primary advertising objective?
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Current Situation Questions
Business
• Tell me about your business today and how you differentiate yourself in the marketplace.
• Who are your target customers?
• What are your best-‐selling products or services? How much do they sell for?
• When are your busy seasons?
• Where are you online? Where are you offline?
• Who are your main competitors? What sets you apart from them?
• How do you see the market changing? What trends/conditions are most impacting you?
• What is the value of a customer? What is a customer’s lifetime value?
Individual
• What are the big issues on your agenda? Why are those important right now?
• How is your success measured?
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Marketing
• Who handles marketing strategy for your business?
• What are your marketing goals? What is your marketing budget?
• Where are you marketing your business (online and offline)? Why did you decide to use those channels?
• Do you know how most of your customers find you?
• What are the goals of your website?
• How much new business would come from your website? How instrumental is your website in growing your business?
• Do you know how your website is performing in attracting customers to your business?
• What are you currently doing to drive traffic to your website? How are you currently marketing your website?
• What advertising mediums are working best for you and why?
• Have you tried advertising with Google?
• How much does it cost to acquire a new customer?
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Desired Situation Questions
Business
• What are the top priorities for your business this year and how are you acting on them?
• What plans do you have to grow your business?
• What are some of the challenges or roadblocks that you anticipate handling?
• Is there a product or service that you would like to make a bigger percentage of your revenue mix?
Individual
• What are your priorities for this year? This quarter?
• What projects do you have on the back burner that you would really like to make progress on? What roadblocks are you facing?
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Marketing
• When do you want to advertise to customers in the buying cycle?
• What are the specific goals you are trying to achieve with your marketing?
• Do you have a preference towards acquisition or retention? Which is more important to you and why?
• Are you happy with the amount of sales and customers you currently have or could you use more?
• Are you happy with your brand awareness?
Ask the customer to expand on how solving a problem or taking advantage of an opportunity would help them. What would the impact be if …? If you could … what would your next move be?
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Expectations
• What do you expect from a digital marketing partner?
• (If there’s an incumbent) What does your current partner do really well?
• What is your timeline for implementation?
• Who else should be involved in these discussions?
• What concerns do you have?
Primary Motivating Factors
Although customers have a diverse array of concerns, they struggle with the same problems. Problem Impact Emotional Need Limited time Unable to pursue new
marketing strategies
Lack of experience Mistakes in online marketing campaigns
Resource constraints Cutting corners and employee dissatisfaction
Not targeting audience effectively
Failure to generate revenue
Inability to measure success
Suboptimal use of marketing budget
Limited marketing strategy
Missing out on customer segments
Limited budget Limited investment in the future
Why is this a priority now? What prompted you to …? What questions would you ask to identify your customer’s primary motivating factors?
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tip: Be very careful when identifying customer pain points. You never want to make the customer “wrong.” You are not implying that she has made poor decisions – she made the best decision possible. Your role is to highlight information, possibilities and options that will help her make even better decisions and improve (not correct) the situation.
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Practice
Please use the scenarios provided to role-‐play the Identify step of a customer interaction. Round 1 Notes
Round 2 Notes
Round 3 Notes
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Summarizing What the Customer Shared
All too often, sales people ask questions, take a few notes and then… do nothing. People need to know that they have been heard and understood. The best way to ensure that this has happened is by delivering an effective summary following a structure like this. Introduce the summary
Bridging Phrase: Let’s review what we talked about to make sure we are on the same page.
Summarize Current Situation
Bridging Phrase: Currently…
• Summarize key points of the current situation
Summarize Desired Situation
Bridging Phrase: The main goals/priorities/outcomes are…
• Review key goals, priorities and timelines and the results your customer wants to produce
Ask Confirming Questions
Key Questions: • Does that accurately sum up your situation? • Can you think of anything important that we have
not discussed?
Transition to Next Steps
Bridging Phrase: Great. Let’s talk about some possible next steps …
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Summary Practice
Use the notes you took from your role-‐plays to practice delivering a summary. Introduce the Recap Transition Phrase:
Summarize Current Situation Transition Phrase:
Summarize Desired Situation Transition Phrase:
Ask Confirming Questions Key Questions:
Transition to Next Steps Transition Phrase:
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Ideas to Practice
• Ask questions and listen. Your customer should feel important and validated.
• Start easy. Start discovery with more basic/general questions and then move to the complicated and specific areas. This approach puts the customer at ease.
• Use clarifying questions. When you uncover an important priority, use clarifying questions to go deeper. E.g., “Why is that important right now? How does that impact you in your role?” etc.
• Focus on customer outcomes, not products. Focus on what the customer is trying to achieve and show him how your products and services will help to make that happen.
• Follow a discovery flow by asking current situation questions followed by desired situation questions (goals) which will help to create a selling gap.
• Use questions to move deeper within the organization. What challenges and opportunities is your customer being asked to address by his boss?
• Questions lead to credibility. Asking thoughtful questions about specific topics relevant to your customer is one of the best ways to gain credibility.
• Take accurate notes. You will be able to do a discovery summary and effectively customize your recommendations.
“The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to conclusions.”
- Neurologist Donald Galne
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RECOMMEND
source: thinkwithgoogle.com
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Elements of Your Story
Once you’ve identified your customer’s needs, you’re ready to recommend some solutions! Depending on your sales cycle or the customer, this step may come during the same meeting or you may offer to come back at a later time to present your recommendations. In any case, you will need to craft a story to persuade your customer.
CHECKLIST
1 The imperative • Reasons your customer needs to do something different from what
she does today – e.g., competitors are gaining ground, sales are dropping, the company’s online presence is ineffective
2 Customer goals • Targets that are specific to the customer company (and, ideally, the
individual) which demonstrate our understanding of its business and identifies what problem/challenge we are trying to address
3 Best-‐in-‐class / Competition
• Examples of other companies, ideally competitors, who “get it” and are doing a better job of taking advantage of online marketing technologies with you to get ahead
4 Your value proposition
• How you can help the customer achieve business goals/address problems
• The quantified value to the customer in terms of cost of advertising versus potential audience reached, and the investment required – aka the “business case”
• What proportion of your customer’s total marketing budget this represents
• How this compares to your customer’s traditional messaging and marketing approach – you are cheaper, more flexible, etc.
5 Next steps
• Asking for feedback on business case and commitment to agreed upon goals
• Action plan with deadlines • Timeline for key interactions
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Design a Customized Solution
Using the customer profile you brought with you and the checklist and solution template above, develop a solution recommendation for your client.
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source: thinkwithgoogle.com
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Recommendation Practice
Notes
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HANDLE | Responding to Objections
Objections, concerns and hesitations are a natural part of the decision making process and can come up at any time. They are not necessarily an indication that the customer does not want to do business with you. The approach to dealing with resistance can be more important than the actual response.
Listen
When you hear an objection, your initial impulse may be to respond immediately. It’s a natural reaction and one that can take a lot of effort to stifle. The first step is to listen truly to what the customer is saying. We spoke earlier about the difference between listening to respond and listening to understand -‐ the latter will serve you well here.
Before you say anything, pause. Clarify Ask questions to clarify what the customer’s concern is truly about. “That sounds expensive,” can mean many different things. Make sure you know which one it is before you develop a response.
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Good things happen when you ask clarifying questions:
• The emotion behind the objection often dissipates as the customer talks about it. This can help make him or her more receptive to your response.
• You will hear clues as to the best way to respond. Often customers will talk themselves out of the objection as they explain why the objection is an important concern.
• Questions help you to gather more information, which leads to more questions.
• Questions help you to uncover the real issues.
• Questions keep you from contracting the most dreaded illness of sales people – talking too much.
• Questions help you to gain credibility in the eyes of the customer.
• Questions help the customer solve his or her concerns. Some clarifying questions to try:
• Please help me better understand your hesitation.
• What is it specifically that you are concerned about?
• What were you expecting? How did you arrive at that expectation?
• Could you tell me a little more about that concern so that I can understand it better?
• Could you please explain it to me in more detail?
Restate After you’ve asked some clarifying questions, restate the objection back to the customer to ensure that you have correctly identified the issue. Are you and your customer on the same page? If the answer is yes, proceed to the next step – Cushion. If not, go back to the Listen step and repeat the process until you’ve reached agreement on the restate. Cushion A cushion is an acknowledgement or statement of empathy that shows the customer that you have heard her and that you know this issue is important. Put yourself “on the same side of the table” as the customer – you are working with your customer, not against. Respond Finally, respond to the objection.
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Responding to Specific Objections
Objection: I already have an excellent position in the organic search. Why should I pay to advertise on Google? What clarifying questions would you ask?
How did the customer respond to your clarifying question?
What would you say to respond to this objection?
What evidence can you use that will help you when responding to this objection?
Prioritize. When you have more than one objection, ask the customer to tell you which objection is the one causing the greatest concern and begin there.
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Objection: I don’t have the budget for this. What clarifying questions would you ask?
How did the customer respond to your clarifying question?
What would you say to respond to this objection?
What evidence can you use that will help you when responding to this objection?
Avoid the words “but, however, and actually.” They typically connect opposing ideas.
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Objection: My audience is not online/using the internet. What clarifying questions would you ask?
How did the customer respond to your clarifying question?
What would you say to respond to this objection?
What evidence can you use that will help you when responding to this objection?
Use trial closes to solicit customer feedback and give your customer the opportunity to express concerns.
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Objection: I already tried this and it didn’t work for us. What clarifying questions would you ask?
How did the customer respond to your clarifying question?
What would you say to respond to this objection?
What evidence can you use that will help you when responding to this objection?
“Never argue. To win an argument is to lose a sale.” - Alfred Fuller, founder of the Fuller Brush Company
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Cumulative Practice
For this practice you will work in triads: Google Seller, Customer, and Coach Google Seller
• Focus on an upcoming meeting or call.
• Use the Conversation Stack to build rapport.
• Transition into the business conversation with an agenda statement.
• Create a selling gap by asking questions.
• Take notes and recap the conversation. Customer
• The person playing the Google Seller will brief you on your role.
• Stay in character and embellish as needed. Keep your answers fairly short.
• Avoid giving challenging objections that derail the conversation. Coach
• Take notes on how the person playing the Google Seller uses the skills we are focusing on.
• Be prepared to provide three specific positive comments and one suggestion.
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CLOSE | Gaining Commitment
Closing is not a mysterious process, nor is it a matter of tricks or manipulation. Closing is the natural conclusion at the end of the sales process. If you have not done a good job of the previous steps (planning, building rapport, asking questions, recommending a solution, handling objections) no closing technique in the world is going to save the sale at the end.
However, you must get in the habit of asking for the “order,” in whatever form that might take – the next meeting, an introduction to an executive, a signed proposal, a trial run, etc. As Google sellers like to say, “Thank you is not a close.”
If you ask for the sale and the customer is not ready to commit, it is better to drop back into the responding to objections process and try to resolve the concern.
What do you do to close the meeting effectively?
What do you say or do to close a “sale”?
At the end of a meeting, how do you know if you have achieved your purpose?
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Closing Techniques
Alternate choice or choice of two positives
This technique is very popular. It asks the customer to choose one of two answers, both of which indicate a positive buying decision has been made. The closing question needs to be carefully prepared. (Think back to your desired outcome planning.) Example
• Would Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning be better for you?
• Which region should we start with, the Northeast or Central?
Assumptive close
The assumptive close is used when the customer has expressed a positive reaction to your recommendation and seems to have no strong objections. You simply assume they are going to buy. Example
• How about we set up a meeting with our account management team for next Thursday?
• Why don’t I send over the new contract this afternoon?
Direct close
Simply ask for the business. This is sometimes used as a trial close. Example
• Can we increase your monthly budget to $10,000 then?
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Tips about Closing
1. Remember that closing is really the process of opening a relationship. Getting the buying commitment is not the only detail when it comes to closing.
2. Most of the typical closing techniques like asking for the order are actually accomplished in the responding to objections process. Focus your attention on helping the prospect by sincerely addressing any concerns.
3. Don’t over promise just to make the sale. You set yourself up for future customer disappointment, decreased repeat business, and fewer referrals.
4. Realize that many customers create buying resistance as a negotiating technique. Focus your attention on value, not price.
5. Review the details of every closed sale. Customers often forget them or even worse, think they heard something you didn’t commit to. Make sure this never happens by summarizing all details.
6. Close when the customer has agreed on the benefits you’ve presented, and/or when you get a buying signal: readiness to move ahead.
7. A close could be asking the customer to sign an agreement or accept the proposal. 8. If ultimately you do get a “no,” thank the customer for taking the time to meet with
you, ask for feedback on why he or she said no and what you did or did not do that affected the decision, and ask for potential business in the future. Also ask permission to stay in touch.
9. Sometimes it’s best to walk away as well. It’s better to get “no” and walk away from the particular piece of business than to continually get “maybes” and prolong a relationship that won’t be beneficial to either party. It could be time wasted.
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Post Meeting Process
The post meeting process is designed to help you to capture your thoughts while they are fresh so you can efficiently share relevant information with your teammates and build on this information as you grow your relationship with this customer. There are three steps to the post meeting process:
1. Debrief
While the meeting is still very clear in your mind, quickly capture your thoughts.
2. Clarify Goals and Next Actions What are the main goals and next actions?
3. Meeting Recap to the Customer Follow up with a brief summary of the key points and next actions.
The Meeting Recap
After a customer meeting it is important to maintain momentum and capitalize on the enthusiasm you have generated. By following up quickly with customers you help to build trust and keep the conversation going. A simple yet often overlooked, practice is to provide the customer with a brief summary of the meeting including next actions. An effective, timely (within 24 hours) recap produces multiple benefits:
• The customer can easily share this information with others in his organization.
• You can more easily engage your team members and get them up to speed.
• It helps you to refresh your thinking when you are preparing for the next call/meeting with this customer.
How does a timely recap help you? How does it help the customer?
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Post Meeting Template
Immediate Discussion
Debrief While the meeting is still clear in your mind, quickly capture your thoughts.
o Did we achieve our desired outcomes? o What did we learn? o Insights to share with team o Customer reaction
o What resonated? o What didn’t?
Capture This Clarify Goals and Next Actions Confirm:
o What are the near term goals for the customer? o What ideas should we capture for future discussions? o What do we need to share with other colleagues? o What are the specific next actions and who is responsible for each?
o Who will write the recap?
Email within 24 hrs
Meeting Recap to the Customer Send an email recap to all meeting attendees (cc: other stakeholders) summarizing the following:
o Attendees (customer/your company) o “Thanks for your time and the opportunity to discuss…” o Key insights o Next meeting/call scheduled o Next actions
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source: thinkwithgoogle.com
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Cumulative Practice
Please practice the process from opening to closing. Notes
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Wrap Up
What was the most important benefit you gained from this session?
How will this program change the way you communicate with customers going forward?
Is there any area we covered that you would like to get more training on in the future?
What other class member in the room would you like to thank for helping to make this training session more valuable to you personally?