C-level Selling Guidelines Designed For Small To Mid-sized Companies

As a C-Level or Senior Executive Manager your time is valuable and you can't afford

to waste it on 'sales people' who try to sell to you based upon the features and benefits of their products and services, their own agenda, or their timeline. You invest

Here are 5 ways to identify business specialists who can communicate up front, how their products or services will help you and your firm to improve business results. Follow these guidelines and you can avoid salespeople who will waste your time.

Work with Industry Specialists Professional salespeople focus on specific vertical markets or industries gaining knowledge and expertise about the products and services they offer. A professional salesperson will clearly articulate the specific value they have to offer at the outset. Leading with their value, they will open with a succinct pitch such as, "Hello, my name is Paul Jones, a revenue yield specialist in the temporary staffing industry. My job is to show agencies how they can increase their average yield per hire by up to 20% just by using our yield management software." So, right away you understand who they are and what specific business results their product or service promises.

Listen Carefully to the Language and Terminology Professional salespeople inspire action by the language that they use. Since they are specialists, they speak in terms that are specific to their prospect's industry. They are well read and are up to date on current industry 'events' affecting companies in their specialty vertical - your company. They speak in terms of addressing industry events that probably affect your company and they speak in terms of the positive business results that their product or service will produce for your firm. Professional sales people also speak in terms of business consequences. They ask prospects to identify the consequences of purchasing AND they ask prospects the consequences of NOT purchasing. They speak in terms that you understand. They position themselves as strategic advisors

Are they a pro-active, thought leader? A professional sales person takes on the role of educator. They don't sell. They know the value of allowing the prospect to grasp the value of their products and services first before they ask for the sale. Professional sales people use a variety of collateral such as industry newsletters, webinars, white papers and seminars to provide information that addresses their prospect's business concerns and keeps them up to speed on industry events that could have an impact on their company. Prospects begin to appreciate the value of working with a professional sales person when they show thought leadership by providing knowledge and information before they try to 'sell' them on their products.

Selling in the Boardroom Sales professionals know that the decision to buy is made on several levels throughout the company. They are clear on the fact that there is some kind of correlation between the level of investment and the management level charged with making the buying decisions. A professional sales person understands that the reasons for making the purchasing decisions can vary widely based on a variety of motivating factors. Middle managers make different decisions that the CEO would make. Professional sales people know the value of engaging senior levels of management so that they can involve them and get them on board with the purchasing decision by communicating how their solution adds value. A professional sales person can be seen as a trusted peer advisor because they begin to think, speak and act like a CEO.

Sales Professionals Have Respect for Your Time and Their own. A sales professional treats their time and their prospect's time as the valuable asset that it is. Because they are specialists, a professional sales person knows not to waste your time if their solution does not produce the business results you are seeking. They will ask for only enough time to qualify your business. They will be able to quickly determine if their product or service is a good fit with regard to your business needs. A professional sales person will be honest enough to not waster your time or theirs when it's clear there is not a good fit. Professional sales people in senior executive selling succeed only when they sell products and services that produce business results that satisfy the requirements of their prospects. So, no sale, no quota and they don't satisfy their own business needs.

Turnabout is fair play Do not dissipate your time dealing with sales people who are not prepared to help you to achieve your business goals. We have outlined five ways to weed through business specialists that offer you products and services. Now you might want to reflect on those times that sales people have approached you offering products and services that offered no solutions that would provide your required business results. Now take a moment to reflect on your own sales team. How do you want them to approach your customers? Do they specialize in the markets you serve? Are they speaking in a common language with your customers? Do they think like a CEO? Do they educate, influence and inform prospects to make a buying decision as thought leaders? Are they considered trusted advisors and invited into the boardroom of your customers? Do they have respect for your customer's time and their own? Review your answers to these questions and if the answer is no, you might consider re-evaluating your sales team's approach, their sales value propositions, and the sales process that your company uses.

by: Jack Kaypeye

POST COMMENT

How you can design the stickers according to their requirement? Vittorio J Ties : Designer Ties that give you a unique look Ensure Web Designing Steps Necklace Chains And Their Different Styles Designing a Monochromatic Garden Stonebridge By The Bay: A Community To Reflect Every Lifestyle Minneapolis web design Ash shoe - It is in the style Every Nursery Could Use A Monte Design Glider Reinventing The Color Wheel Interior Design Updated Facts - Do You Know What Swinging Lifestyle Is? Is Your Web Design Hiding Mistakes? Web Development in Australia is Done with Emphasis on Content Designing