Inside Sales Series How to give your inside sales calls some ... T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N.
Inside Sales Series
How to give your inside sales calls some ...
T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N.
David MaloneTrainer| Speaker | Consultant
www.evolve.ie
By and largeInside Sales Professionals are optimistic are optimistic by nature… and that’s
good!
However over the years, I have always found evidence over optimism is a more accurate way of progressing potential
sales opportunities.
Optimism can mean we often waste time on situations that will never turn into sales on situations that will never turn into sales opportunities
…..Or indeed sometimes we don’t see the problems / issues that may lose the deal.
With that in mind, I thought I’d share
the evidence based protocol I use to
assess my inside sales prospecting
opportunities.
It certainly has helped me to
get more T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N.On my prospecting activity.
T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N…. is an evidence based checklist which I use to keep my sales opportunities on track
• In allows me gauge how much movement I really achieved on the last buyer contact.
• It also gives me ideas around what • It also gives me ideas around what I need to do to maximize my chance of winning the opportunity
• It outs any gaps in my buyer intelligence
• It has increased my forecasting accuracy
Idea!Idea!Idea!Idea!
I strongly suggest you should run all your sales opportunities sales opportunities
through the T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N
process
T is for Time FramesT is for Time Frames
As in what’s the prospect’s view of Time Frames for ..
The date in their mind by which they will/need to buy?buy?
Do all the parties in the process have the same view?
Ask questions such as
• If you did decide to proceed with the purchase, what will your timeframe be?
• Why is that?
• What will happen if you don’t buy by that date?
• Does everyone else have the same timeframe?• Does everyone else have the same timeframe?
Get a sense of how real
the buyer’s issue is.
R � is for RouteR � is for Route
As in … have they told you the steps, stages, and
people involved in the decision making process?
Ask buyer questions such as
• The last time you changed your provider, what process did you go through to select a new supplier?supplier?
• Who else is involved in the selection process? (even on the periphery)
A is forA is for
Authority
What level of authority has the person
at the other end of the phone?
How senior are they in the decision
making process?
How much influence have they over How much influence have they over
the other members of the decision
making team?
Have they the ability to put you in
front of the senior buyers?
Ask questions such as
• What is your relationship with the other people who will make this make this decision?
• Who are they Who are they Who are they Who are they most likely to most likely to most likely to most likely to listen to?listen to?listen to?listen to?
C is forC is for
Committed
As in … is the person you are speaking with personally committed
(a) Does your offering meet their purchasing criteria?(b) Do you meet their supplier criteria?(c) Are they committed to make the purchase? (b) Are they committed to making it from you?
…… Have they stated this to you?
Ask questions like
•What do you like about our solution?
• If it was your decision, would you be comfortable with our solution?
T is forT is for
Them!
Them .. As in them your competition!
Is the buyer talking to another supplier?Who are they talking with?How disposed towards your competition are they?Have you asked how you compare?
Ask Questions Like
• Mr Prospect, could you tell me what
criteria you are using to evaluate
potential supplier?
• How do we rate?• How do we rate?
• How are the other suppliers rating?
• Where would we need to provide
you with more comfort in order to be
your first choice?
I is forI is for
Investment
As in …As in …1. Did you discuss investment /costing? (ball park)
2. How did they respond?
3. What was their expectation?
4. Do they have a budget?
5. Who owns this budget?
6. Don’t be afraid to talk about money too early, it will
help ascertain how committed they are to purchasing.
O is forO is for
Opportunity
Is there a real opportunity?Ask questions like….
Why is this purchase is essential for your business at the moment?How will the company benefit from the purchase?
What will happen if you do nothing?How will it effect their business?
Ask yourself …How will they gain or avoid a loss if they buy?
N is forN is for
Next Step
As in…
What’s the buyer’s next step? (Don’t worry about yours!)
Have they told you what they will do next?
Have you asked them?
Warning! Warning! Warning! Warning! Is important to get the buyer to do some work
at this stage. This will show how committed
they are to the purchase. Remember, if they
Ask them to get you a conversation with an executive buyer,
so as you can get their perspective
Ask them to provide you with information that requires them
to do some work. (For example) Diagnostics, reports, polls
they are to the purchase. Remember, if they
don’t’ do the work, there might not be an
opportunity, or may be they are just not
taking your offering seriously
T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N•Time Frames
•Route
•Authority
• Committed •Committed
• Them – the competition
• Investment budget
•Opportunity?
•Next step
Base your call outcomes on the evidence in front of you ... Not blind of you ... Not blind
optimism
Fundamentally, our sales engagement mantra is
Win fast or win slow, Win fast or win slow,
lose fast - but never lose Slowly!
“If you do what you have always done – then you get what you have always gotten”
www.evolve.ie
davemaloneinsidesalescoach