Sales Process: Why and How?

In a previous blog, we discussed some tips to ease prospecting woes. Now I would like to give you a clear method of establishing a Sales Process.

What is a Sales Process?

A sales process is a proven, documented sales approach that represents a winning model for gaining, penetrating, and retaining accounts. It would include standardized scripts, job aids, and marketing tools that are appropriately aligned to the steps and activities in the process.

Why is a Sales Process So Important?

A standardized process helps sellers be more efficient, develop stronger skills through repetition, and spares them from having to reinvent the wheel with every prospect or opportunity. When they get stuck in pursuit of an opportunity, a process provides them suggested next steps, instead of leaving them floundering and feeling stalled in their efforts.

Sellers also gain a sense of company commitment, support, and dedication toward the sales department and their efforts. But the greatest satisfaction comes when they see the true outcomes of being more professional and closing more accounts,
faster.

How Will it Help Managers and Business Owners?

Sales managers and business owners appreciate the sales process concept. It makes it easier to manage the sales funnel and the expectations surrounding sales activities. A process creates a system of accountability to new business and better information for estimating new cash flow. Managers can also determine where in the sales process people are getting stuck. They can address these issues sooner rather than later. Sellers’ problems are often the result of not giving the appropriate amount of effective effort; a defined process removes the guesswork and allows a manager to manage the seller’s behavior and activities accordingly. Then, the results will come.

How to Get Started?

Some companies consider the sales process to begin after lead generation; others believe it does not begin until you have pre-qualified the lead and determined they are an ideal customer. In such cases, pre-qualification may
represent the first step in your sales process.

When we work with companies on sales process creation and job aid designs, we customize these tools to their strengths, brand, and messaging. Then we supplement and enhance these tools with best practices, proven paths, and a library full of job aids and sales training resources. The outcome is a documented, phased sales process with steps, established goals, activities, and job aids for each step.

Below is a sample outline that demonstrates possible steps in the sales process, and examples of Goal, Activities and Job Aids, that should be in each step.

Step 1. Get Appointment

Goal: To get an appointment. Activities: Make the phone call. Leave a voice message if you don’t speak to them live, and then follow-up with an email. Job Aids: A script for leaving an effective voice message; a talk track that creates value; a template email thanking the prospect for the appointment while setting the agenda and expectations. Without this, your prospect may reasonably think, “Who is this?” “What’s in it for me?” “Why should I listen?” This type of response makes it difficult to get to the next phase of your sales process, resulting in wasted time and a potential loss of opportunity.

Step 2. Uncover Needs

Goal: Have a successful sales call and uncover an opportunity.
Activity: Pre-plan the call and prepare an effective opening statement for the meeting.
Job Aids: A professional script, conversation guide, sample questions to uncover needs.

Lacking this type of preparation, your reps may have a tendency to show and tell, talk too much, and not uncover the needs of the prospect. They may be doing their own thing instead of representing the company in the manner that has already proven successful.

Step 3. Present Solution

Goal: Close the business.
Activity: Prepare a solution to meet the needs of the prospect.
Job Aids: Sample template proposals, talk track for handling objections.

Without a structured, customer-specific proposal, a seller may fall back on simply providing costs, rather than presenting a full program or solution that addresses concerns. When sellers focus purely on price, they squander the opportunity to communicate the full spectrum of value your company offers its customers. The customer may also feel that the seller didn’t listen to his specific needs.

Step 4. Close

Goal: Get the commitment.
Activity: Prepare an implementation plan and eliminate the customer’s fear of change.
Job Aids: Sample implementation plan, talk track and tips for addressing the fear of change and asking for the business.

Failing the approach of this last phase…well, you know the rest of the story.

We hope that this has given you an idea of how to establish a formal sales process and why it is necessary for the continued success of your business. By giving your sellers the structure and support of a sales process, you help them develop their strengths and effectiveness while affirming that the features and value of your company are properly represented to each and every customer.

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Krista S. Moore is the Founder and CEO of K.Coaching, Inc., a sales leadership coaching, consulting, and training organization. She is a sought-after Motivational Speaker, Author, Certified Business Coach, and Talk Show Host. Moore combines her real-life business experiences, certified business coaching, and motivational style to help others achieve outstanding success in their lives and in their careers.

Moore is host of The Krista Moore Talk Show, and author of Race to Amazing: Your Fast Track to Sales Leadership. These are her “give backs” to help others continue to learn, develop, and grow into being the best that they can be.