The Title Bout! ‘Value Creation V Product Focus’ who dare’s wins!
We all know a
company needs sales to survive ergo ‘sales
sales sales’ is the motto of many successful organisations over the years. However,
to be a hero in a company as a salesman today does not necessarily mean the
company will be around tomorrow to enjoy future bounty. So if no one has a
magic formula to guarantee indefinite success, where is the relative security
of a sustainable approach to sales and how can we harness it for the future??
This is a
question I have pondered over the years and have come to some realisations as
follows:
Value: If we don’t create value in the eyes of the
customer, then we will not get a repeat sale, which is by far the most
profitable. What is equally as important is a sustainable approach and how we
create value over the longer term! Thinking about this, do we proceed purely on
a cost basis or is there a value creation basis for the customer??
Culture: Who we are as a company influences our approach,
interaction and transactional standards in every sale. It determines our focus
through the process (products/discounts/competition/value/etc.) ergo the real
picture of the company will be visible via culture to our customer. If our
cultural picture is incompatible with our customer’s culture and values, hiding
it through deceptive means whilst understandable in this context (‘sales, sales,
sales’) will only ruin the longer-term relationship potential when the customer
finds out whom they really are dealing with. Honesty and integrity start in the
heart of the sales professional and will shift the trust focus of the customer
to the person rather then the company ONCE the sales professional is honest and
forthright about the product and the value it will create.
Organisation: A sales professional should always be in a position to talk
knowledgeably and discernibly about the back end processes along with what is
needed from the customer to complete them. They should also expect competent
process execution and completeness from other business departments given they
all serve the customer. A homogeneous company service level to the customer is a
critical element to a sustainable value proposition.
Competition: Depending on the industry, sales professionals
can create a value perception based on high standards through being
knowledgeable about the competition and expressing it in a respectful and
objective way. Acknowledging a competitor strength surpassing your own product strengths
creates trust and credibility in what you say to the customer. A disparaging
review of competitor products serves no constructive purpose and is detrimental
to a sustainable relationship.
Relationship: Most sales professionals are chasing the next sale
based on incentives provided. However, an employer may want to consider the
service element even in product sales and the need for every sales professional
to create value by also being an account manager. A sustainable relationship
relies on good products and great people who continue to earn the trust of the
customer in value creating products and services. If time is not spent with the
customer in a structured approach in building and maintaining relationships
even when they are not ordering allot, then the customer’s level of trust in
the company will fade.
The goal posts
of great sales practice change regularly, but what is constant is the people;
those who order and those who sell. The ability to build a more “earthy” tone
to the sales approach that is substantiated by a suitable company culture as
much as a great product range will resonate with more customers over time then
any ‘hero of the hour’ will on any given day. A company can innovate and bring
to market one or many products that can create value for it’s customers, but as
sales professionals, why not bring all your customers with you on the way.
After all, if we all long to belong, then belonging to a wider family as a customer
could be the start of new ideas for new business practice for a new day!
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