Let’s get back to SELLING!

I have been selling to large, multi-national business-to-business companies for most of my career.  What is most striking is that in the early part of our upward economic cycle companies could do no wrong; revenue was always going in the right (upward) direction. Companies were, however, looking for ways to increase profitability by cutting costs, increasing supply chain efficiencies and in general streamlining any and all business processes.  This obsessive focus on cost reduction served companies well. But now there is little cost to wring out of the income statement and companies need to focus instead on new markets, growth at existing customers and strategic pricing. 

So let’s get back to actually selling!  Not just a focus on how to reduce costs, but selling the benefits of your products or services and realizing that your customers are in business to make money doing business with you. 

In business-to-business, it takes the entire organization to win with your customers.  We find that an engaged organization needs:

• Customer-centric, ‘outside-in’, economic discussions with your customers.
• Business cases that focus on your company’s investments that truly impact your customer’s bottom line.
• Plans that drive cross-functional alignment and cause accountability inside your organization.
• Communication and documentation that holds the organization as well as the Customer accountable for the commitments you have been asked to meet.
• And what would a good process be without measurement and continuous improvement?

So does this sound like your organization?  Are you having discussions with your customers that center around financial and economic outcomes linked to your product or service?  When I have had discussions with customers around the ROI of doing business with me, I have been able to win more business and (more importantly, once I prove the ROI) retain and grow my customers.  Isn’t that what sales is all about?

Join the conversation:  www.winningwithcustomers.com