6 Steps To Transform Your Sales Organization to be Best-in-Class

Best-in-class sales organizations use a consultative sales process. A sales process is consultative when the stages and actions align with the customer’s buying experience and customer relationship.

A typical consultative sales process is made up of 6 steps. Each stage maps out winning behaviors and strategies.

In this article we will discover the key 6 Steps of the consultative sales process.

Each stage should define the objective, best practice activities, tools, models, and customer actions that signal readiness to advance to the next stage (for example, the customer agrees to a meeting in stage one or provides access to the executive buyer in stage two).

"Hidden tip: Make sure there is a list of coaching questions related to each stage."

Step 1: Target + Qualify

The customer becomes aware of a business problem. Alternatively, the salesperson creates a pre-stage one opportunity by introducing an idea or challenge that is not yet on a customer’s agenda, or raises the visibility of an issue the customer has underestimated.

Step 2: Explore + Assess

Customers assess how much of a priority the issue is, determine their options, and develop decision criteria and decision process. Salespeople can help their prospects by sending them how-to blog posts, offering to run a consultative call, and sending them relevant content resources.

Step 3: Develop Solution

Customers research, compare solutions, narrow down choices, and refine decision criteria. The salesperson must differentiate, focus on business outcomes, and prove value.

Step 4: Present + Follow up

Knowledgeable customers make their selection and negotiate. Skilled salespeople will have already involved procurement prior to this stage. You should already know what steps need to be taken for your prospect's organization to buy a new product or service. That knowledge is crucial for presenting a solution with a realistic timeline.

Step 5: Negotiate + Close

Customers make the purchase. Salespeople support implementation and follow-up. When a close is imminent, it's more important than ever to make sure your prospect feels supported.

Step 6: Implement

Customers are in an evaluation mode. In the post-purchase stage, customers implement, measure outcomes, and evaluate performance against the sales promise. They decide on the future of the relationship. Salespeople must discuss results, prove value, and build on the rapport they previously created.

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Convert 10x More Sales Conversations in 15 Seconds

We're going to let you in on a secret. This secret is going to help you convert your conversations into sales.

All it takes is a 15 seconds adjustment.

What's the secret? Make an Upfront Contract.

An Upfront Contract means that an agreement is made ahead of time, about what will take place during any meeting or discussion.

Don't overlook the importance of an upfront contract. It helps to clarify the roles of each person during any meeting or discussion and helps to form an informal agreement between both parties.

There's a catch. Always remember, that only one person can lead this discussion. It's always either the seller or buyer, never both at the same time.

To be successful in any of your negotiations you should strive to lead from the front, and the Upfront Contract allows you to do just that.

I've tested this during my sales conversations in different scenarios and with different personalities in Malaysia. It's helped me to move ahead in negotiations and increased my probability to close.

*Additional reading: If you're interested to learn more on how to negotiate successfully here are 5 tactics to help you.

Find below 5 uses for the the Upfront Contract to help you close more sales conversations:

1. Set a time limit.

Most times, you're meeting any "prospect" for the first time. It's common for sales professionals to overlook "prospects" to be just a means to an objective.

Don't forget, "prospects" are people too. Your goal is to make them feel comfortable with you. One failsafe method is to show appreciation for their time.

A little courtesy, goes a long way.

It's important to thank the person for their time and honestly inform them how long you expect this conversation is going to take.

Be truthful with how long you expect the conversation to take. Establish the right expectation and trust early on.

You don't want to be the forceful telesales representative which nobody wants to associate with.

Here's a script to get you started:

You - Hello [name], thanks for [taking this call today]. I would like to [purpose of conversation] and this would take around 20 minutes of your time. Is this a convenient time for you now? 

Prospect - {yes / no}

You - #if no: oh I'm sorry, I'll call you back later this afternoon. Thank you.

2. Provide an agenda

You want to be clear. This helps you to clarify the roles of each person in the conversation, and establishes the right expectation.

Some may argue against this. However, in my experience, providing an agenda early on allows your prospect to determine if they are able to help you.

It's common to approach the wrong department and it saves you time through a recommendation to find the right person early on.

Here's an example of a clear agenda / purpose:

You - Hello [name]. I would like to discuss about ways our products can help you to increase the value of each distribution point you make. Are you the right person I should speak with to discuss this further?

3. Describe the potential outcomes

Here's where the Upfront Contract technique is applied.

Give 2 options to your prospect. Make them decide to either continue the conversation or to decide against it.

It's important to give your prospect an option to throw in the towel at any time. Offer to end the conversation if your prospect does not like the offer.

Make sure you tell them it is perfectly okay to tell you {no} and you'll accept it without pursuing any further.

The objective of this is to gain your prospect's trust. Do this by putting them in control.

Here's an example:

You - If at the end of this conversation, you feel that this may not be something you are interested in, feel free to let me know, and I'll stop immediately.

Below I've prepared an example sales conversation template for you:

You - Thanks for [taking this call today]. I would like to discuss about [clear agenda / purpose]. Are you the right person I should speak with to discuss this further?

Prospect - {yes / no}

You - #if yes: This would take around 20 minutes of your time, is it convenient now for us to talk?

Prospect - {yes / no}

You - #if yes: If at the end of this conversation, you feel that this may not be something you are interested in, feel free to let me know, and I'll stop immediately.

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