Comments on: Talent is not enough http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2009/11/talent-is-not-enough/ Confessions of a Lazy Accountant... Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:37:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael 'MC' Carter http://theconsultingaccountant.com/2009/11/talent-is-not-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-398 Michael 'MC' Carter Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:37:44 +0000 http://theconsultingaccountant.com/?p=516#comment-398 Great post and excellent advice Ric. One thing I have found is that in addition to the preparation and being crystal clear on the outcome of the meeting, something that helps firms dramatically is sitting down and designing a sales process that has defined steps and clear milestones - that is, having a perspective that is more encompassing than the one meeting - e.g. Initial Needs Analysis Meeting; Proposal preparation; Proposal discussion meeting. This provides two benefits: (1) It gives business development operatives within the firm a clear process to follow with clear desired outcomes from each stage (e.g. the desired outcome from the first meeting is simply to understand the client's background, current issues and future goals, along with explaining the firm's points of difference), and, perhaps just as importantly, (2) it also allows a BD operative to say to a prospective client right up front, "we have a 3-step process we go through when we're in this 'getting to know each other' stage with a prospective client ... can I explain those 3 steps to you now?" ... followed by a PAUSE ... waiting for the prospective client to speak next, and to permit you to continue. The first 'sale' to make in the sales process is to sell the prospective client on the sales process ... that is, to gain their commitment to the stages in your process. This provides comfort to the prospective client and it automatically sets up more than one meeting, giving the BD operative the opportunity to build greater rapport and to be able to follow up after providing the proposal. Without this permission up front, following up a presentation or proposal can seem like the firm is trying too hard (e.g. 'pushy') to win their business, whereas if the expectation is set up right up front, it's more comfortable and works better for both parties. This type of explanation also comforts the prospective client because they then know that the purpose of the first meeting is not to 'sell' them, but rather to listen to them, to start analyzing their situation and to walk away with a clear brief upon which a realistic proposal can be built. This 'sales process design' is equally important as 'sales skills training'; combined, these produce far better results. Great post and excellent advice Ric. One thing I have found is that in addition to the preparation and being crystal clear on the outcome of the meeting, something that helps firms dramatically is sitting down and designing a sales process that has defined steps and clear milestones – that is, having a perspective that is more encompassing than the one meeting – e.g. Initial Needs Analysis Meeting; Proposal preparation; Proposal discussion meeting. This provides two benefits: (1) It gives business development operatives within the firm a clear process to follow with clear desired outcomes from each stage (e.g. the desired outcome from the first meeting is simply to understand the client’s background, current issues and future goals, along with explaining the firm’s points of difference), and, perhaps just as importantly, (2) it also allows a BD operative to say to a prospective client right up front, “we have a 3-step process we go through when we’re in this ‘getting to know each other’ stage with a prospective client … can I explain those 3 steps to you now?” … followed by a PAUSE … waiting for the prospective client to speak next, and to permit you to continue.

The first ‘sale’ to make in the sales process is to sell the prospective client on the sales process … that is, to gain their commitment to the stages in your process. This provides comfort to the prospective client and it automatically sets up more than one meeting, giving the BD operative the opportunity to build greater rapport and to be able to follow up after providing the proposal. Without this permission up front, following up a presentation or proposal can seem like the firm is trying too hard (e.g. ‘pushy’) to win their business, whereas if the expectation is set up right up front, it’s more comfortable and works better for both parties.

This type of explanation also comforts the prospective client because they then know that the purpose of the first meeting is not to ‘sell’ them, but rather to listen to them, to start analyzing their situation and to walk away with a clear brief upon which a realistic proposal can be built. This ‘sales process design’ is equally important as ‘sales skills training’; combined, these produce far better results.

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