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Sales
"Sell
More Technology Now! Proven Sales Methods that
Deliver Results!"
Introduction
We see so many business people
with so many well thought out technology based products and services,
yet some are successful and some are not. Why is that? The irony is
that many technology based companies use a methodology to implement
their products and services yet they do not have a
methodology to generate consistently sales revenues. In this article we
will examine some basic concepts and principles in the areas of:
·
Technology Marketing
·
Strategic Sales Planning
·
Selling Technology
Technology Marketing
Why do people really buy technology
solutions? Technology is a business tool, and business tools are there
to help businesses make or save money. There
are countless technology based solutions that lack true business
application. This phenomenon was evident in the “dotcom” era where
companies were being funded for technology based ideas that had no
practical business applications. No one is going to pay you $100,000
for a technology based solution that will walk their dog! People buy
technology to:
·
Make their lives better
·
Be more productive
·
Make money
·
Reduce costs
·
Do things quicker, faster
and smarter.
An important aspect of technology marketing
is having a Technology Based Business Value Proposition. Simply put,
this tells the marketplace:
·
Who you are
·
What you do
·
Why they should buy your
technology solution.
The technology-based business value
proposition is the first thing you need to be telling people when
communicating with them, whether in person, in writing or on your
website. Your technology based business value proposition should be no
longer than two (2) minutes (the average attention span of an
adult). I meet so many technology based entrepreneurs and businesses who
cannot clearly articulate what they do, who they do it for and the value
they bring to the marketplace, in a short and concise manner. Business
people want to know what’s in it for them and they want to know NOW!
Strategic Sales Planning
A strategic plan is used by an
organization to align its organization and budget structure with:
·
Organizational priorities
·
Mission
·
Objectives
A strategic plan should include the follow
areas:
1.
Mission Statement
2.
Description of Objectives
(and strategies to achieve these
objectives)
3.
Business Market Conditions
4.
Analysis of Competitors
5.
Identification of Your
Position in the Marketplace
6.
Operational and Financial
Capital Requirements
Strategic planning is a systematic method used by an
organization to anticipate and adapt to expected changes.
Your strategic plan is the blueprint for
making technology
business decisions and is only as good as the information that
has been collected and reviewed. Once you are satisfied with
the strategic plan you can make intelligent business decisions,
based on the directives established. Since market conditions are
ever changing, and the conclusions that were assumed at the
time, it would be a good practice to review and update the
strategic plan every six months.
Selling Technology
Selling technology based products and services is much different then
selling refrigerators. In selling these types of applications,
specifically to medium or large businesses, you have the dynamic of “The
Complex Sale” not complicated but complex. What is meant by The
Complex Sale is there are several different buying influences to closing
the deal.
The
Complex Sale involves the following buying influences.
There may be one person or a group of people per buying
influence. All are required to close a technology based product
or services deal. In smaller companies, one person may have
the role of multiple buying influences.
The Technical Buyer
This buyer insures that your technology solution is going to fit their
prospects technology world. It is highly unlikely you are going to sell
a Windows based product to a Macintosh based shop.
The User Buyer
These are the end users of your technology solution. If they don’t find
it easy to use or just don’t like it you will not get the deal.
The Economic Buyer
He or she is the money person. If your technology solution is not in
their budget range – you will not get the deal. You are not
going to sell a $ 1,000,000 solution to someone who has a $100,000
budget.
The Management Buyer
Is the contract signer, usually a member
of the senior and/or “C” level (CEO, CFO, CIO, COO) management team. If
you cannot show them how your solution can:
a)
Save them money
b)
Make them money
c)
Reduce costs
d)
Increase productivity or
e)
Make their lives better –
you will not get the deal.
Selling technology is not a random event but
rather a carefully planned and executed series of exercises to generate
sales revenues. Each exercise has a proven process that needs to be
followed to generate results. Within that process are certain skills
required to execute that process. Many businesses are successful more
because of their processes than the product or service they deliver.
Few people comment they enjoy the food at fast food restaurants but
rather the consistent way in which they receive it.
“Selling is a process…within that
process there are skills that need to be learned, practiced and mastered
in order to generate successful and consistent sales revenues.”
Everyone who sells within a sales
organization needs to prepare a sales plan and this plan will, in turn
be presented to the management team for review and approval. A sales
plan need not be a lengthy or complicated document but rather a “road
map” on how to generate sales revenues.
The following are the components of a sales
plan which will help both the sales representative and management team
devise a clear methodology to grow sales revenues:
1.
Objective(s)
What are you trying to accomplish with this
plan? Clearly to sell more technology based products and services. Be
as specific as possible as to quantify the goals and objectives you
would like to meet.
2.
Target Markets(s)
Who are you selling your good and services
to? Be as specific as possible as to present a precise target marketing
message to your audience.
3.
Strategies
What type of methods and tactics are you
going to deploy to close business?
4.
Marketing Activities
How will you be filling the sales pipeline?
Will you be networking, cold calling, doing trade shows? What will your
goals be – per week, month and quarter?
5.
Territory
What geographic territory will you be
managing and/or vertical market will you be responsible for?
6.
Administration
What tools will you be using to track and
monitor your progress? Is it automated or manual? Does the management
team need to see your information so they can make informed business
decisions?
Closing the Deal
This is the most important part of this
article and, for that matter, any article on selling technology
solutions. I would like to tell you there is
a “magic close” that works every time or some other gimmick or scheme -
however there isn’t any.
Closing is the logical progression of any
deal that is being worked successfully. In truth, you should be closing
every step of your sales process so the signed contract will not be a
surprise to either you or your prospect. Too many times sales people
simply do not ask for the prospect’s business. Here is a
close that you can use immediately on your
next deal:
“Mr./Ms. Prospect, we have met all your
established criteria in various areas of product/solution usability, met
the target budget for this project, are able to reduce costs, increase
your productivity and our technology solution is a fit for your current
technical environment - we would like your business.” If everything has
been “yes” to this point then getting a “yes” is the next logical thing
to happen to close the deal.
Conclusion
In this article we have briefly
examined the selling of technology based solutions. We looked at some
Technology Marketing concepts, the importance of Strategic Sales
Planning and the dynamics and buying influences of actually Selling
Technology. Making sales a process that can be duplicated, time and
time again, is your key to consistently generating sales revenues. The
practices discussed and reviewed here are currently being used by some
of the largest as well as some of the smallest technology based
companies in the world. These proven practices work for them and they
will work for you as well!
About the Author
Oreste "Rusty"
D'Aversa
is a speaker, consultant, author, university lecturer and advisor to
senior management providing strategic sales planning, consulting and
training services to technology based corporations, small businesses,
entrepreneurs, sales people and consultants. He is author of the book,
SELL More Technology NOW! Proven Sales Methods and Established
Practices that Deliver Results.
Rusty has over
twenty years experience within the technology industry in sales and
sales management, consulting, corporate training, technical support and
customer service. He has sold software and various technology based
products and services, and has managed, mentored and trained sales
teams generating millions of dollars in sales revenues.
The founder of
SELLMoreTechnologyNOW.com
and
SkyrocketSelling.com,
Rusty has worked with companies like: IBM, American Express,
Foster-Wheeler, ADP, UPS, Bank of New York, BMW of North America,
British Airways, Office Depot, and TyCom amongst other Fortune 1000
organizations, as well as small-to-medium sized companies and
entrepreneurs in all phases of the sales process.
SELL
More Technology NOW!
Strategic Sales Planning – Consulting – Training
- Coaching
www.SELLMoreTechnologyNOW.com
Direct:
201-391-1921
