| We hear all the time that the nature of a sale has | | | | build relationships, I get concerned. |
| become more complicated, has longer sales | | | | I get that political correctness has stepped in |
| cycles, and that we have more complex product | | | | everywhere, but this is what my grandma would |
| and service delivery expectations. | | | | call balderdash - trivial nonsense. It also could look |
| We also hear that prospects have changed from | | | | like the abandonment of personal, individual |
| a single-point contact to multiple decision-makers | | | | responsibility. |
| within companies. We have adjusted our sales | | | | Perhaps, I am being too sensitive and what is |
| team-training curriculum. Then we hear that, the | | | | meant to be said is that "...value-added |
| skill of closing the sale has been replaced by the | | | | relationships have become more important to the |
| ability to build relationships and move the sale | | | | achievement of a sale and should be part of the |
| forward, and that the complexity in many sales | | | | tool kit for sales consultants...", and that "...always |
| situations are not accomplished well by a single | | | | involve your engineers, IT people, manufacturing, |
| salesperson and typically require the skills of a | | | | human resources, any service delivery people, as |
| sales team. Simply stated, selling has become a | | | | needed. |
| team sport. | | | | So, are sales an individual effort or a team sport? |
| I guess, according to some experts, that we are | | | | It is an individual effort that is spearheaded by a |
| part of the collective, and - resistance is futile. | | | | sales consultant, and can draft any and all |
| We must work in collaboration. In this not hotly | | | | resources to accomplish the goal of - a sale. It is |
| debated topic, the old "find a need and fill it" is lost | | | | the sales consultant that is responsible for: |
| as simple-minded. The over the top individual | | | | 1. Overview |
| effort wasted - In my business world, selling to | | | | 2. Commonality of Issues |
| small business | | | | 3. Rapid Recall System |
| Chief Executive Officers and/or Presidents, all the | | | | 4. Gathering of Data |
| above would need to be modified to include the | | | | 5. Custom Presentation Addressing Pain |
| peak performer's individual effort. Oh yes, a team | | | | 6. The Cost Box |
| effort is needed - always. It invariably has been | | | | 7. Handling Objections |
| needed. None of us operate in a vacuum. And | | | | 8. The Close |
| yes, there are complex sales that require more | | | | 9. Timeline/Client Calendar |
| team input, but when I hear that, the skill of | | | | 10. |
| closing the sale has been replaced by the ability to | | | | |