Thinking about the relevance of solutions for clients and the impact if they are incorrect. Credibility and relationship breakdown.

1. SS
Ten Slides in Ten Minutes:
Parable of the Pink Ponies
[Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]
Presented by:
Bill Graham APM.APMP
April, 2014
bill.graham@sales-synthesis.co.za

2. Market
Management
Relationship
Building
Opportunity
Scouting
Prompts:
• Global trends
• Industry knowledge
• Unfolding
opportunities
• Emerging risks
Prompts:
• Pedigree/s
• Preferences
• Requirement/s for
advancement
• Resource alignment
• Communication plan/s
Prompts:
• Wants vs. needs
• Resourcing
requirements
• Solutions vs. Risks
• Ability to deliver
• Competition
Account Managers
should be “Thought
Leaders” in specific
industries
Account Managers
need to be
articulate & be the
Single Point of
Contact [SPOC]
Account Managers
need to understand
the clients’ needs
and deliver against
this need
Fact 1: Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions
2
Abundance
of
Solutions Selection
of
Solutions
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Source: Sales Synthesis
Client

3. 3
Source: Sales Synthesis
Fact 2: It is a Necessity to Deploy Relevant Cost-Efficient Solutions
A Common Strategic
Vision with Clients
Basic Products
Basic Solutions
Value-Added Services
The Competitors’
Trajectory of
Irrelevance
Evolving Solutions
Moment of
Truth
Competitive
Mountain
Competitive
Molehill
An evolving
relationship

4. 4
Thus, given that….
Fact 1: Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions
Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Fact 2: It is a Necessity to Deploy Relevant Cost-Efficient Solutions
&
The Sales Bag will contain a defined set of offerings…

5. 5
Thus, given that….
Fact 1: Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions
Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Fact 2: It is a Necessity to Deploy Relevant Cost-Efficient Solutions
&
But none, I guess, would be a real Pink Pony…
The Sales Bag will contain a defined set of offerings…
Sales Bag:
Without Pink
Ponies

6. 6
Pink Ponies and a Point to Ponder
A customer walks into a major retail outlet and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you
sell Pink Ponies?’
The sales assistant has (probably) three possible answers:
1. “Yes”
2. “No”
3. “Come back in ‘X ‘weeks and we’ll have them in stock”.
What would their answer ‘typically be?…

7. 7
Pink Ponies and a Point to Ponder
A customer walks into a major retail outlet and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you
sell Pink Ponies?’
The sales assistant has (probably) three possible answers:
1. “Yes”
2. “No”
3. “Come back in ‘X ‘weeks and we’ll have them in stock”.
It would be ‘No’…
What would their answer ‘typically be?…

8. 8
A Question for Sales Leadership
Question: Would you allow your salesforce to attempt to sell Pink Ponies?
Answer:
1. “Yes”
2. “No”
3. “Come back in ‘X ‘weeks and we’ll have them in stock”.
This is commonly referred to as ‘shoehorning…
A Forced Solution is a Forecast for Failure

9. 9
Source: Sales Synthesis
Solution Fit
Profitability
and / or
Business
Fit
Ascent of
Acceptability
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
The Path of Pink Ponies to the
Days of Customers’ Past
100%0%
The Region of
Ruined Solutions and
Pink Ponies…
The Rapid Rise
of the Sound
Solution
The Peak of
Performance
A Forced Solution is a Forecast for Failure
Build mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term client relationships by
crafting solutions that support a clients’ Business Needs

10. 10
In Closing: A Lesson to Learn
Scenario 1: A customer walks into a major retail outlet
and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you sell Pink Ponies?’
The sales assistant answers:
“Yes”
…and the retail outlet goes out of business because of non-delivery.
Scenario 2: A customer walks into a major retail outlet
and asks the sales assistant, ‘Do you sell Pink Ponies?’
The sales assistant answers:
“No”
… and the retail outlet grows from strength to strength by selling relevant offerings.
Do Not Compromise your Salespeople - or Your Growth in the
Marketplace - by Proposing Irrelevant Offerings, such as Pink Ponies…