IN THE CHANNEL
www.comms-dealer.com
COMMENT...
TOP SALES TIPS
Customers are too familiar with
conventional sales methods
and treat many pitches with
derision – They have become
Professional Non-Buyers. Here,
Gary May, a sales acceleration
BY ADRIAN SUNDERLAND, CTO, GRIFFIN
specialist and founding director of
The hosted model has never been more
Saqqara, offers a fresh perspective
viable. The current economic climate means
that business customers are looking for more
on unlocking new sales.
Gary May
and more managed and hosted services
because they are capex light, don’t need
in-house people to manage them, scale up
and down as required, users pay on a usage C
ustomers have become adept at about, ‘Can you see how your accounts
getting sales people out of the door department would utilise this making them
and off the phone. For this reason we more efficient?’. Again, if it really is a benefit
basis, and they can be consumed wherever need to be more astute in the way in which to them, then the answer has to be yes
you can get a network connection (a great we sell, use new models of persuasion and from the decision maker. Throughout our
enabler for teleworking and flexible working). actually start understanding the psychology presentations we are aligning our products,
of what lies behind your customers’ buying services or ideas towards the customer’s staff
Hosted VoIP, and indeed more or less decisions. Recently I was listening to a sales members and getting an agreement that
any other hosted application, is not just pitch where the salesperson was presenting they would benefit from having our product.
an opportunity but an obligation to try their product to a managing director, and at
and sell in business grade connectivity. each stage asking ‘can you see the benefit Please note – at no stage do you ask a business
The most common reason why hosted in that?’. A great ‘trial close’ question you owner/decision maker for his/her opinion as
VoIP and hosted application projects fail might think, but when you understand what it he/she is probably the last person who would
is because the customer’s connectivity is that persuades someone to buy you’ll realise use the product, benefit from it or even need to
is not up to the job. Customers rely on that the MD is the last person you should be know what it does. Their job is to enable staff to
their communications and applications. asking for any decision about anything. do their jobs. This technique sets up this question
Best efforts just aren’t good enough. at the end of the presentation, ‘From what
Question: Have you ever bought something for you’ve already told me, do you agree that this
A typical PBX sales person will expect to get someone, even though you saw no benefit in it appears to be a huge benefit across the whole
an immediate commission based on the yourself? Now, in virtually 100 per cent of cases company?’. For a customer to say no would be
value or margin earned from the value of we have all bought such a gift. Why? The reason an admission that while they see the benefits
the order. With a PBX, handsets, professional is that we all desire the thanks and praise for they don’t want to make their staff more efficient,
services then the order value and commission buying something for someone we like or care more productive, or improve the business.
could be quite high. With a hosted service it for. Our basic human psychology wants us to
is much more likely that the whole deal will hear ‘thank you’ or ‘you shouldn’t have’, and is Customers will buy products for those they
be based on a simple monthly fee based on a crucial piece of social psychology that is little cannot see the benefit of themselves. Are
the number of extensions. There probably understood and rarely practiced in the arena of you asking the right person for your decisions
won’t be much in the way of set up fees. sales. No matter what product you sell, or in what because if you get a single no from the
So, if resellers use the same commission industry, the person who you are persuading has buyer you reinforce their assumption that
plan their sales force won’t be motivated. a moral obligation to make great decisions on your product doesn’t suit, and reaffirms the
behalf of the staff and those who will be utilising ‘Law of Consistency’, which in part states
There are obviously lots of ways to build what it is you have to offer. It is the staff members that if someone verbalises an opinion then
a commission plan but one reseller I who we should be relating all of our products/ they will defend that point even if shown
spoke with recently said that they kept service benefits towards, and asking the staff to overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
it simple, paying out commission on the say whether they want your product or not. At this Ever had an argument knowing you were
first year contract value, even though stage, we need to make clear that we are not in the wrong but would never admit it?
the customer is paying monthly. suggesting that you ask each member of staff.
An example of this is when you see a £400 suit
Yes, there is a risk that the customer Consider these words, ‘This will be perfect in a shop window. You argue with yourself as
may cancel the order, but these hosted for preventing Jane from having to do that to whether you can realistically justify the cost,
services are very sticky if resellers get the wouldn’t it?’. How easy is it for the buyer now however walk three shops down and there is
right combination of hosted VoIP provider, to agree to this simple fact with a yes? What a £400 dress that your partner absolutely loves.
business grade connectivity provider, and Suddenly the self justification goes away and
deliver great customer service themselves.
Buying for others
you’ll tell her that if she likes it then let’s go
The reseller I spoke to, and his sales force, and get it! You all do it and so do all of your
are doing great business on both hosted
is far easier
customers. Buying for others is far easier and
telephony and software as a service. much more gratifying.
n
and more gratifying
n
www.saqqaragroup.co.uk
30 COMMS DEALER MAY 2009 www.comms-dealer.com
30 PG sales_workshop.indd 1 24/4/09 09:25:43
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56