Selling: Performance Lifeline

THERE are four basic ways of measuring the success of an organisation; namely, Financial, Performance, Knowledge and Behavioral Indices. However, the “bottom line” determines productivity and profitability. All the indices are essential, but “inflow” by and large, impacts on literally every other thing.

The popular slogan in our workplace is “Naira and Kobo”.

This distinctive phrase regularly emphasizes and creates the awareness that every associate must conscientiously contribute to the bottom line. You must contribute your best to the baking of the cake knowing full well that the “bigger the cake, the bigger your slice”.

Selling is an entrepreneurial skill that is performed through income producing activities. You exchange value for desirable return. In other words, you get paid for value. Great products and services deliver beneficial values or results to customers.

We are now in the era of innovation, a dispensation that uses intelligence and grit to pursue opportunities. No matter the challenging state of the economy, leaders of businesses are upbeat that we will deliver the values customers need to meet their needs.

My focus in this article is SELLING and the need for leaders to rev-it-up with focused market- driven strategies. We must optimize responsible selling in spite of market situations, behaviors of prospects and attendant risks.

Creative cost leadership can be combined with the differentiation strategy. We can utilize target market advantages as well as affordable cost mass marketing.

Today, brands are also adopting the “best known, beats the best” posture with some using tailor-made retail marketing to compete at the grassroots. Organisations are showcasing and strategically positioning themselves consistently in the minds of consumers and prospects using varied options.

The business of selling is now characterized by greater insights and clarity. Salespeople spend less time on pricing and presentations but concentrate on the “discovery” points of conversations and engagements.

Challenges of customers and prospects are carefully identified and solutions most reassuringly proffered.

There is increasing emphasis on feedback loops to keep, secure and sustain engagements, re-engagements and highly productive attention.

In this new dispensation, closing techniques have been jettisoned for smartly designed and sustained discovery channels. Salespeople now strive to remain strong, relevant and upfront. No more prescriptive ways but innovative principles, reassuring concern and empathy.

We insist on clear and scheduled next steps. These are vital for renewals, sustained and expanded patronage.

The traditional cold calls have been refreshed to thrive on trust and value-adding relationships. The salesperson creates and engenders an atmosphere that evokes care, strong emotion and connection. He intelligently probes prospects, challenges them with genuine concern, identifies problems and gives expert solutions. He understands and appreciates social dynamics and how, as well as why, human beings take decisions on their lives and businesses.

Sales people now apprise themselves with the psychology of selling. They see things from the customers’ perspectives and fully understand and appreciate their needs. They have realized that prospects listen to only one radio station, that radio station is WIIFM or what is in it for me.

They create value through intelligent questions. They wear the garb of consultants and not the typical sales person. They go deep into prospect’s challenges and clearly discern beyond the surface.

Very useful engagements are achieved by allowing customers and prospects to speak. Experts have pointed out that there is a golden rule guiding conversations in selling and that rule is: 80 percent listening, 20 percent talking. You have 10 percent to ask useful and neural persuasive and emotional questions, and 10 percent is all you need to sell. Do not start with price (if you need to, give a range). Let this come at the end of the discovery process. Subtly draw the customers and prospects back for feedback loops. Make sure you, most intel-ligently, link challenges and problems to specific value-adding solutions and benefits. You do not apply pressure on pros-pects. Understand their needs.

Let me note, in order to guide the salespeople, that there are two emotional dynamics that compel human beings to jettison the status quo. They are, pain or discomfort and fear of the future. That is why salespeople must stress the fact that success is a choice. Solutions will solve identified problems and provide good alternatives to adverse situations.

We must be real in our offerings and always use the right body language and tone to convey concerns and consequences of sticking to the status quo. Use the right skills to show how much you care and how great your solutions are.

For salespeople selling intangible services, offerings must show vividly the end results and how customers will be better off with the solutions. Highlight the features and benefits of the service and clearly describe end results with the “finish-line language”.

Selling must be values-to-customers oriented and as explained earlier, there must be “organic” feedbacks. Your tactic must be the see-feel-perceive approach and you must ensure that every convert ends up as a customer.

Customer success will impact bottom-line. There must, therefore, be continuous order and customer loyalty. Salespeople must build, retain and sustain loyalty. The value you are adding to the organisation by way of inflow, must be reg-ular, consistent and progressively adaptable.

The organization must always enjoy return on relationships (ROR) and return on investment of resources (ROI). Your CPV (Customer Perceived Value) leverages honesty and trust as well as organic feedbacks from customers. Always maximize benefits from the word-of-mouth loop and manage it appropriately. Do not ever tolerate churn, it is a put-down.

I always love to recommend “service in customer service” to organisations.

Customers must genuinely feel heard and you must painstakingly build and align your relationships. Give your customers the refreshing impression and assurance that “we are always ready to sacrifice our interests for your interests” Deliver value always and not, hollow expressions or assurances.

Let me conclude by urging organisations to always go after the daily emerging sales opportunities. Adaptable customers and market focused strategies will be very useful in this regard.