| It doesn't matter what sport championship we | | | | associates. This is why a great defensive posture |
| are watching, strategies are being mapped by | | | | works. You might say this is a defensive and |
| each team playing. Who do you think will win the | | | | offensive strategy and you are right. The results |
| championship? My belief is that a good defense | | | | can be increased significantly when the business |
| always beats the offense. However, if we asked | | | | asks for referrals. It can skyrocket when the |
| the same question about sales, what would be | | | | business rewards or recognizes customers for |
| the answer? Is it better to have a strong | | | | referrals. This strategy only wins when customer |
| offensive strategy? Does a defensive strategy | | | | service is outstanding and fanatical. This defensive |
| make more sense? These are questions we'll be | | | | strategy protects the business from losing good |
| looking at in this article. | | | | clients and the referrals multiply new customers |
| Why the Defense Sales Strategy Wins | | | | dramatically. |
| Defensive strategic sales teams win! I have | | | | Why the Offense Sales Strategy Wins |
| witnessed business growth where there was | | | | Offensive strategic sales teams win! I've |
| virtually no proactive marketing, such as | | | | witnessed outstanding success with sales |
| promotional mailings and outside sales contact. Yet | | | | programs where a strategic sales plan is mapped |
| the business was maintaining sales growth. | | | | out and followed with precision and it always wins. |
| Certainly there are possible factors helping them | | | | The challenge is that these situations are rare. |
| like image, reputation, location or very little | | | | The important factor is that a strategic sales and |
| competition. However, in all cases, my final | | | | marketing plan is in place. In these situations, the |
| analysis came back to the defensive strategy | | | | business knows and understands their |
| applied. Although these businesses didn't exercise | | | | marketplace including the competition. They |
| an offensive strategy that appeared to make any | | | | understand their strength and weakness and really |
| real impact, they were creating an army of | | | | understand how and where to find new |
| satisfied clients with their service. They usually had | | | | prospects. |
| a great follow-up program when a customer | | | | The offensive strategy wins when they follow a |
| engaged them. They thanked their clients so well | | | | proven sales process and don't let good prospects |
| that the customer base felt like family. They held | | | | drop from their pipeline. They steal clients from |
| their customers as cherished possessions and it | | | | competitors that don't have a good defensive |
| showed. | | | | strategy. Business statistics indicate that 10% to |
| Establishing an army of satisfied customers is a | | | | 15% of business is lost each year to aggressive |
| good thing. Holding on to them is what the | | | | competitors. The offensive business wins when it |
| defensive goal should be. What defensive | | | | gains more yardage than it loses. So, they have |
| businesses had in common was special. They | | | | to be really aggressive to win. |
| really knew their customers personally and | | | | Why the Balanced Team Always Wins! |
| regularly sent thank you notes. When they | | | | When a business applies superior offensive and |
| finished a project with a client, they always asked | | | | defensive sales strategy, it always wins! The |
| for feedback on how they could improve. They | | | | question to ask ourselves is, do we have a |
| were fanatic about getting out quotes and | | | | balanced up-to-date, proven, mapped out offense |
| following up on requests. | | | | and defensive sales strategy? If your balanced, |
| The results of this defensive posture are that | | | | you will WIN! |
| customers rave about them to their friends and | | | | |