Thinking about what is needed to ensure a relevant portfolio of Products and Solutions

1. SS
Ten Slides in Ten Minutes:
Thinking about Products and Solutions
[Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]
Presented by:
Bill Graham APM.APMP
bill.graham@sales-synthesis.co.za
November, 2013
1

2. One must define the type of Sales Organisation you wish to be…
Fact: Most of the proposals that customers receive have pricing that more closely resemble a
quotation.
“A sales organisation must supply profit [Business Improvement] as their offering
vs.. Classical sellers who merely supply product.”
“Relevant sales organisations use a Profit/Business Improvement Proposal vs..
Classical sellers who use a quotation.”
Building mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term client relationships by
crafting solutions that support a clients’ Business Imperatives
Source: various
Note: Profit also relates to Business Improvement
2

3. Client Centric Organisations ‘Resonate’ with their Clients
• They repeatedly strive to please their clients
• They design the correct & relevant offerings for the correct clients
• They build their organisations around cross-functional teams
• They make decisions that resonate with clients
• They seek to create positive, memorable experiences for their clients.
‘Many companies have the client focus of a vulture - they pay close attention to what the
clients are up to, but only in order to figure out the right time to pounce and tear at their
flesh!’
- Charles Green
Source: various
3

4. Articulate Industry Knowledge for Sales-Interaction Credibility
Industry
Challenges
Response
Opportunity
Financial services
(financing, insurance)
Durable goods
(appliances)
Manufacturing
(process & discrete)
Oil & gas
(exploration & supply)
Transportation
(rail, aviation, shipping,
automotive)
Complete a matrix iro your
organisation’s position with
respect to Industry Knowledge
Health
(life sciences, telemedicine,
bio- engineering)
Utilities & engineering
(energy, water, design,
construction)
Professional services
(consulting, IT services)
4

5. Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions
Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Market
Management
Prompts:
Client
Abundance
of
Solutions
• Global trends
• Industry knowledge
• Unfolding
opportunities
• Emerging risks
Account Managers
should be “Thought
Leaders” in specific
industries
Source: Sales Synthesis
Relationship
Building
Prompts:
• Pedigree/s
• Preferences
• Requirement/s for
advancement
• Resource alignment
• Communication plan/s
Account Managers
need to be
articulate & be the
Single Point of
Contact [SPOC]
Selection
of
Solutions
Opportunity
Scouting
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Prompts:
• Wants vs. needs
• Resourcing
requirements
• Solutions vs. Risks
• Ability to deliver
• Competition
Account Managers
need to understand
the clients’ needs
and deliver against
this need
5

6. An Organisational Product Development Process is an Imperative
Input to product development is based on marketplace needs & sales persons feedback from clients/customers
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
New
Product
Strategy
Idea
Idea
Generation
Screening
Concept
Testing
Business
Analysis
Product
Dev.
Market
Testing
Commercialization
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Strategy - Objectives, Strategic guidance (Senior Management)
Idea Generation - Stimulate perception for new opportunities (All)
Idea Screening - Evaluate commercial worth of New Product (All)
Concept Testing - Test idea with potential customers (Marketing)
Business Analysis - Estimate sales, cost and profits (Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Accounts)
Product Development - concept to product actualisation (Engineering, Marketing, Legal, Projects)
Market Testing - limited launch of product to assess market response (Sales, Marketing)
Commercialisation - Product launch to early adopters (Sales, Marketing)
Source: various
6

7. A Well-defined Business Acquisition Flow is Required
Market Penetration
Emerging
Dominant
Pervasive
‘Opportunity Conversion’
is a function of offering
relevance
Prospect
Customer
Client
Product
Solution
Policies & Processes
Vague
Optional
Mature
Business Necessities
Strategy
Plans
Actions
Source: Sales Synthesis
7

8. It is a Necessity to Deploy Relevant Cost-Efficient Solutions
Moment of
Truth
A Common Strategic
Vision with Clients
An evolving
relationship
Competitive
Molehill
Competitive
Mountain
Evolving Solutions
Value-Added Services
Basic Solutions
Basic Products
The Competitors’
Trajectory of
Irrelevance
Source: Sales Synthesis
8
8

9. A Forced Solution is a Forecast for Failure
Forcing a solution to fit a client’s requirements [commonly referred to as ‘shoehorning’] will result in
lower marketplace credibility and lower long term profitability
Profitability
and / or
Business
Fit
Hope, Prayers and Wishes
do not a robust Solution
make
The Peak of
Performance
Ascent of
Acceptability
The Descent of Despair
The Region of
Ruined Solutions
The Rapid Rise
of the Unsound
Solution
0%
100%
Solution Fit
Superfluous Elements in Solution
Building mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term client relationships by
crafting solutions that support a clients’ Business Imperatives
Source: Sales Synthesis
9
9

10. Pulling it all together…
Product & Solution
selection is not just about
a portfolio, but has its
roots firmly in the actual
organisation and its ability
to operate – and be able to
maintain relevancy - in the
ever changing marketplace
Ensure the deployment of
mutually agreed solutions
The ascent of
acceptability
Build a robust Business
Acquisition flow process
Formulate a Product
Development Process
Product/Solution
Decision Hurdle
Account Management to
define solution suitability
Robust
relationship
development,
based on trust and
openness
Build Industry Knowledge
Build a Client-Centric
culture
Define type of sales
organisation
10
Underpin the process with Strategic
Market Development initiatives
Consider planning some
concurrent stages, depending on
availability of resources/budget
Source: Sales Synthesis
10