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Chronicles of a Sales Leader: Dare to Differentiate
September 11, 2008
By Bill Golder
Let's face it. Despite what your marketing brochures say, there's very little difference between your products and services and those of your competitors. I applaud you if you've convinced your organization otherwise, but you should ask your customers and prospects to quickly rattle off the qualities that make you stand out from the others in your arena. You might be surprised by the uncomfortable silence that follows that question.
I realize this is a harsh generalization, and that there are those that are doing a fine job differentiating themselves. However, the point that differentiation is harder to come by these days cannot be argued.
First let's explore why we're in this pickle, and then I'll give you my two cents on what best-in-class companies are doing about it.
Hey, Who Stole My Elevator Pitch?
The rapid pace of globalization, sprinkled with a pinch of regulation and an extra punch of the Internet have come together to create the ultimate recipe for a level playing field across many industries and time zones. This has resulted in easier replication of product/service advantages while providing the buyer with greater access to information (without having to talk to anyone in your organization) than ever. The days of buyer beware are over. The sales process has experienced a hostile takeover by the buying process.
What The Best Are Doing…
When you remove the product and service advantages, the only element left is how your people interact with customers before, during and after a sale. In fact, we conducted a survey of about 100 CEOs in 2006 and asked them the primary reasons they selected suppliers. The number one answer, by a long shot, was the competence demonstrated by the sales or account executive. I get a bird's eye view of what some of the most successful companies in the world are doing to differentiate themselves with client interaction, and here are the three things I find to be most compelling:
1. Investing in building business acumen, not features and benefits. Our annual research study, the largest in the world of sales effectiveness, found that high-performing organizations are spending more on sales-related training vs. product training. If you go one layer deeper into that story, organizations are getting a terrific impact by investing in processes that provide a repeatable framework for understanding the buying process. The most effective organizations are not just teaching their people how to manage an effective sales process, but also putting rigor to understanding the details behind client decision making. They are throwing the elevator pitches away for client-specific value propositions.
2. Involving clients in strategic activity. Another clear factor that separates what we call "winning sales organizations" from all others is their discipline around inviting clients to the table when setting product and service strategies. It's one thing to have a business review and get feedback on how you can service your clients better, but that's not different. To dare to be different is to get your best clients behind the scenes and have them help shape your product development and overall product/service enhancement. This brings the organization closer to the customer and transforms your role from supplier to partner. It also helps your customer articulate the ways you are different from the others.
3. Getting executive involvement. One thing I always see that says an organization is serious about staying ahead on the differentiation curve is evidence that the most senior executives are engaged with customers. I'm not talking about reacting to client satisfaction issues or sitting in on a couple of business reviews a year. Top-performing organizations have formal executive sponsorship programs in place. C-Suite execs in these organizations are involved in internal opportunity and account reviews. They can speak the language that their sales managers speak. They view accounts as strategic assets. Client centricity is in the culture because it is a strategic priority at the top, and it is seen by strategies focused on understanding customers.
Whether you've read this and think my advice is basic and your company is already there or I've caused you to think about this topic, I want to leave you with one challenge; a dare, if you will. On your next business reviews with your biggest clients, take a moment to ask them why they do business with you. I guarantee you will learn something that will take you one step closer to understanding how to differentiate yourself.
Bill Golder is a monthly online columnist for Sales & Marketing Management. As EVP of sales at Miller Heiman, Golder has a reputation for taking on tough assignments and successfully turning around difficult situations. He has extensive sales and operations experience, especially in leading business-to-business sales of professional services and multi-unit operations management. Available for keynote speaking opportunities, Bill can be reached at bgolder@millerheiman.com. In addition, Bill contributed to Miller Heiman’s recently published Sales Management Guide, which provides career transition advice to new and seasoned sales managers. To request your free copy call 877-678-0397 or order online.
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
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