1

Michael McGowanSmart Sales TalentSept, 5, 2017

Agenda 1. Introduction

2. Sales Capability Framework

3. Sales Capability Stage / Journey / Readiness

4. Cases / Examples

5. Q & A

6. Take-aways

2

Working with Enterprise Ireland Clients

•U.S. Background through DEI Group

• International Selling Programme 2006-15 & 2017

• Export Selling (One Day) Programme 2007 – 2013

3

International Selling Programme Research

Which modules improved performance “a lot”?

1. Developing a Clear Strategic Position (Value Proposition) 80%

2. Managing the Sales Process - 73%

https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/3-2-PLM-International-Selling-Programme.pdf

7

How can your clients even talk about “sales”?

8

There’s a Roadmap that Clients will Engage with

9

10

Alignment in the dictionary is defined as:

A Position of Agreement

When Alignment is Off

A software company hired a senior UK rep who then targeted companies with RFPs in the market. She closed no deals.

Companies with RFPs buy from big vendors. (Wrong Fit Customer)

Rep from a big vendor background (Different “wiring”)

The company had no agreed messaging (Value Proposition issue)

The Board was screaming for sales (“Any revenue” model)

11

When Alignment is Off

A services company spent 15 months developing a SaaS product, using its accumulated IP.

They then discovered that the buyers put no value on the main product features, because the same work was being done by low-paid staff. (Poor fit / Unvalidated Proposition)

They also discovered they would need 10,000 leads to generate a customer base. (Revenue model not making sense).

12

Alignment – Useful Questions (Page 6)

Q1 – The Numbers

Q4 – Market Qualified Lead [It’s a fit]

Q6 – The Status Quo (The most under-rated “competitor”)

13

14

15

Focus = The Really Important Work

When Focus is Off

• An automation company sells to the world’s top manufacturers in pharma, automotive and medical devices.

• The US pipeline was packed with poor quality opportunities –quotes. (Poor Prospecting Discipline)

• The needed to get the US salesperson to focus on important prospects. (Stick to the Agreed Fit)

• That only happened when they introduced strict Target Account Planning. (Focus needs Processes & Tools)

16

When Focus is Off -But One KEY move can change the company.

• An equine science company spent 2 years selling in 3 large markets, but without real progress.

• They then changed focus to getting a reference client in every sub-region. (One Focused Move can change a company)

• Within one year, they had 4 salespeople selling successfully.

17

Focus Questions (Page 9)Q4: Clients need a common language more than a sales process.

18

Focus Questions (Page 9)

Q5: Hard wiring of Sales Process: Each rep had to deliver at least 2 x IBVs per quarter.

19

20

Salespeople and Execution are not the same thing!

When Execution is Off

A agri-science company assumed the market needed to be “educated.” So every first meeting involved a 45 slide presentation.

The messaging challenge was to provoke, not educate. That required 2-4 opening sentences that got the attention of the buyer. (Sales Messaging requires Soundbites, not deep prose!)

21

When Execution is Off

An Augmented Reality technology vendor hired a senior marketing team to build Marketing Qualified Leads.

That attracted just about every Phd student on the planet - 5,000 “leads“. [Poor Execution by Marketing]

What the Sales team needed was an intern working through LinkedIn Sales Navigator. [Simple moves that work]

22

Our experience …

Companies are slow to fund “sales”.

They wish sales would just happen.

Or, salesperson = sales

23

Execution Questions (Page 12)

Q2: Clients don’t address this issue well enough & the quantity / quality ratio is misunderstood.

Q4: Yesterday’s Presentation – what’s the hardest part of dealing with the buyer?

(Tom): Context + Value Proposition

24

25

Companies underestimate the quality of people and the level of funding they will need.

When Resourcing is Off

An agri company hired local reps in China, Japan, Korea who understood the local culture.

During a 3 year period, the company’s sales director sold more in those territories than the salespeople together.

There is more to selling, than putting a person on the ground. [The People have to reflect the Value Proposition].

26

When Resourcing is Off

An e-learning company hired a 200k rep in the USA with extensive industry experience, selling to corporates and enterprise. He failed. [Hiring a “face” instead of hiring for the role].

What the company needed was an inside sales professional supporting a less expensive field rep, who did not need a big brand to be successful.

Define the role. A “Salesperson” does not always solve what looks like a “sales” problem!

27

Resourcing Questions (Page 15)

Q1 – Even early stage clients need to look at sales roles in terms of specialisation versus the “all-in” salesperson.

28

29

Your Clients fall into one of 3 Sales Capability Types

Validating Stage

30

Alignment Figuring out customer fit Running business model numbers

Focus Running validation conversations – that’s your

“pipeline”

Execution Devising discovery questions to validate your

proposition.

Resourcing Taking some of the time of the owner / founder /

senior management to conduct validation conversations.

Selling Stage

31

Alignment Allocating target per month / quarter Decided on route-to-market “Customer Fit” is not a notion: it’s a command!

Marketing / Sales operating an SLA

Focus Formalised Pipeline / Forecasting / review

practices. Early Account Management frameworks.

Execution Investing is relevant data.

Basic Sales Playbook in place.

Resourcing Investing in the key “sales” role(s).

Scaling Stage

32

Alignment Validating new markets / territories.

Validating Multiple routes-to-market.

Setting a culture across sales & marketing.

Focus Strong Forecasting & Review accountability culture.

Specified tools are used – unquestioningly.

Execution Sales data becomes a major part of execution.

Advanced Sales Playbook – probably written by Marketing.

Resourcing More specialization of sales roles. [Work is given to you] More in-house onboarding. Clearer development paths.

Corvil (IT Sector) – Validating

Background: Technology company very successful in U.K. & U.S. markets selling into Financial services. Now entering non-financial markets – RETAIL.

Current Challenges: Is retail an ideal fit or even close? Will the revenue model be the same as before? What is the value proposition?

Approach Taken by Market Advisor so Far: Linked client with U.K. in-market retail experts.

33

Crospon (Medical Devices) - Selling Stage

Background:

Crospon spent several years Validating and have turned the corner into the Selling stage.

To Date:

They have worked through regulatory and reimbursement coverage, attending trade shows to meet with physicians and get feedback, and to identify the best route-to-market.

34

Combilift India (Manufacturing) – Scaling

Background:

Materials Handling company with turnover >€200m. Key markets US, UK, Europe.

Have scaled very successfully in some markets, now looking to replicate in others.

To Date:

India growing at 50% YOY for last 3 years, but still only 1% of global footprint.

Logical market entry strategy including channel development, solid foundation for scaling phase.

Current Challenges:

Emerging industry in India

Diverse marketplace

Scaling Stage:

Direct sales presence to support Dealer / Channel network.

35

The best advice you can give your clients

1. Clients don’t really want to hear about sales process!

2. They need an Agenda that gets them all pulling in the same direction.

3. It can be done in 4-6 sessions.

4. Start with Alignment.

5. Do a practical exercise in each session.

6. Produce deliverables.

36

What Clients are willing to do

1. A simple Ideal Customer Fit Exercise

2. High level Revenue Model

3. High level Value Proposition

4. High Level Messaging

5. Discovery Questions (Max 10!)

37

Take-Aways •Booklet •Questions•Customer Fit Tools•Working the Numbers• Sales Templates

http://www.smartsalestalent.com/eitoolkit

38

ContactMichael McGowan

michael@smartsalestalent.com

m: +353-87-9449521 | +353-1-9081298 | +44-207-1830165

http://www.smartsalestalent.com

39