When talking to many Company Directors about their sales journey a number of issues become evident. Two of those greatest issues are selling solutions rather than products or services and becoming a marketing or sales-led organisation rather than technical or operational-led.
They need to move fast from a product or service company to a solution company that listens to client needs and reacts by providing solutions to these challenges. This means that they have to start building buyer profiles and understanding their clients’ roles and objectives. Now they can compete on value rather than price. They also need to assess whether they have the right sales people who can adapt to this approach.
The second point is that the whole company needs to be in charge of marketing and sales not just the sales or marketing people.
Companies need to engage with customers “pulling” rather than just “pushing” and create a dialogue rather than a monologue. This means a shift in culture, a shift in how sales and marketing is viewed as a separate and distinct function or discipline and a process for capturing and disseminating information from across the business.
Utilising and optimising sales tools and technology to automate and capture these touch points between the company and its clients or potential clients becomes the only way in which a company can truly collaborate and analyse customer engagement.
Whether it be inbound marketing initiatives, full utilisation of CRM systems, and creating a culture of “We’re all sales now” there are ways to assist this transition and implement the appropriate systems.
Jefferson Sales has been helping Company Directors transform their sales organisation since 2005.
