What if…your sales people became your customers’ strategic partners?
- Do your sales people regard your customers as adversaries?
- Do they invest time with customers who can boost your growth and profits?
- Do they share expertise and ‘know-how’ with customers to collectively solve problems?
My performance coaching with CEOs and business owners can transform your sales employees from acting like one of string of suppliers conducting clinical transactions with your customers – to becoming appreciated and acknowledged as a consultant and strategic partner. Here’s how to do it.
- Get sales people to divorce the old relationship
Stop your sales people perceiving your customers as opponents and see them as key to achieving their targets and incentives. Really enlightened sales people shift from a mechanical buy/sell relationship with customers to a consultative, strategic partnership pushing in the same direction for mutual benefit. - Get sales people to see themselves as consultant
Ensure they solve the problems of strategic customers who will open new doors for you and boost your bottom line. If they don’t have all the answers, encourage them to become the lead company in a group of non competing suppliers working collectively to find customer solutions. Adopt the same approach with your own suppliers – as a coaching executive I never cease to be amazed by the opportunities a fresh pair of eyes can spot. - Get sales people to become strategic partners
Forging powerful partnerships will enable you and your customers to better understand your mutual customers and their challenges. Pooling ‘know-how’ and resources creates solutions which neither of you could achieve individually. Together you have a stronger offering, a greater competitive advantage, and longer term security. Again, adopt this approach with your supplier base.
Changing our perceptions about customers and relationships with them can produce powerful outcomes and many you included, welcome free support and assistance in challenging times. As an executive coach helping businesses to grow in tough times it’s vital that you pro-actively support your customers through the current uncertainly. To become valued as a strategic partner. To become valued as a strategic partner email richard.bosworth@whatifspecialist.com, follow @richardwhatif on Twitter and find me on LinkedIn under Richard Bosworth
