The Two Most Neglected Selling Elements

There are two key tasks often overlooked, forgotten or not practiced when it comes to generating more sales.
The first is getting to profit center leaders and other key executives after sales are made.  Most high level people don’t pay attention to how well you or your sales people delivered your offering – especially if it went well.  They just assume they got what they paid for and any vendor probably could have done it as well. 

If you or your sales people don’t make a point to visit with these key executives after your sale – to see if your sales people met their expectations – then you’ll never be considered special and the preferred supplier.

After the sale, even before completion, is an easy time to get to the top people because you or your sales people have developed relationships with subordinates that will feel comfortable networking you upward.  Your sales people have also got a good reason why the C-Levels should want to meet with them.  That is, to see if their expectations were met, and if not, what do they want or suggest you do.  Now, if your sales people have met the expectations, it will be easy and appropriate to ask for more business from them.
 
After the sale is a great opportunity for your sales people to start developing high level relationships.  These executives will be open to them.  They will even feel they owe you or your sales people.  However, if you or your sales people assume that because you did a good job they will freely give you more business, you and  your sales people will be sadly disappointed.  It’s not how your sales people gauge your performance.  It’s whether or not the key people got what they wanted out of your deliverable.
 
The second key element, although closely linked to the first is becoming associated with the solution rather than the problem.  You or your sales people must tie your company with the benefits that are being felt by the profit center leader and his staff.  They must realize your sales people’s efforts made those benefits happen.  Otherwise, they will feel their subordinates were responsible, or it was a simple task that any of your competitors could have done.  In other words you or your sales people have to connect the dots for the executives, i.e. it was your sales people and your company that made the success happen.  This has to be done verbally, in person and at the top level or else you won’t get your recognition or the chance to cement the C-Level relationships.

Most sales people only get to see the leaders when problems occur and a big sit down is mandated.  If this is the only time you or your sales people get to the leaders, you’ll be associated with problems.  And who wants to do more business with those thought of as problems.

Even when the job is going badly, you or your sales people should keep the top people updated and keep asking for what they’d like you to do about it.  Don’t assume your sales people know.  Interaction on solving problems bonds people together professionally.  And then you and your sales people can be associated as a problem solver.

And now I invite you to learn more.