Welcome to the December issue of the Trust Triangle Selling newsletter. This month's question presents an interesting and common sales impediment--the inaccessibility of the executive decision-maker. I offer a three step solution for the "Don't Go Over My Head" roadblock. Let me know what has worked for you.
Q: My sales team is quite good, however they do have one "challenge" that I would like your help with. When they request a meeting with a senior executive, they are quickly shut down. Our customers frequently circle the wagons around their key executives, prohibiting access. On occasion they threaten to sever us from future opportunities if we "go around" them. Do you have any advice?
Diane
Phoenix, AZ
A. Diane, great question. Here's how I would handle that issue.
HOW TO HANDLE THE "DON'T GO ABOVE MY HEAD" OBJECTION IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS:
Almost all sales reps have been warned by an adamant customer: "Do not contact Jill Smith (the Ms. Executive). If you do, you will certainly ruin any chance at winning our business." You may also have heard this objection voiced as:
- "Bring all of your issues through me"
- "It will basically be my decision"
- "If you want to lose this deal, contact my boss"
- "I've got to control this project"
- "Just show it to me, I'll take care of it"
- "Just send the quote to me".
I fielded this objection at a major account of mine several years ago. I had researched the structure of the organization and was promised by my client that in fact he was the decision maker and I should not attempt to call on Ms. Executive. Satisfied, I proceeded forewarned with our multi-million dollar sales process. One victorious day I received a call from the "decision maker" declaring that I had won the order. Celebrating with my manager, we took pride in penetrating a previously 'foreign' account. Behind the scenes, however, the 'real' decision maker was at work. My competitor secretly contacted Ms. Executive using an 'expand the pie' sales strategy (see Building Trust, Growing Sales, ch. 4, p. 93) to include other services only that vendor could provide. My next voicemail was this pronouncement from my contact: "I'm really sorry, Dan, someone over my head canceled our order and went with another vendor. There was nothing I could do." Ouch!
How do you avoid such a costly mistake? What is the best way to respond to this scenario? Below are four three steps to an effective handling of the "Don't Go Over My Head" objection.
Step One: First, we must be able to identify that a problem exists. For this, we rely upon our 'sales intuition'. As always, questions are the answer. In my case, I should have explored the situation more thoroughly. In hindsight, I might have asked some of the following questions:
- What are the answers to the BMPCC account qualification questions?
- What is my buyer's current buying process?
- What pressures is she operating within?
- What are my chances of winning this opportunity given the current process?
- How much time do I have?
- How strategic is this current opportunity?
- What is the future potential of this opportunity?
- What is the short term/long term relationship impact if I follow or don't follow her rules?
- What is her role in the buying process?
The backdrop to this questioning is of crucial import--the real reason this objection is raised is typically due to a lack of trust between the customer and the sales rep.
In addressing this breach, we will have to respond to the symptoms of the lack of trust before we can fully treat the underlying problem. Remember, the real focus needs to be on gaining trust (see previous TTS newsletters June, July, August and October on the topic of gaining trust), which leads us to step two.
Step Two: In the second step, we need to show empathy while trying to uncover the customer's motivation. Respond to a 'block' by saying something like, "I can feel your reluctance for me to proceed further, however I think I can help your situation if I understand your reasons to limit access to Ms. Executive". Typically you will find that the senior level access block occurs for the following reasons:
- Lack of trust
- Bad history/experience working with average or poor sales reps
- Control/power play
- Resistant to change
We need to sympathize with the client and with Ms. Executive. After all, most sales representatives have absolutely no clue how to react when finally meeting with Ms. Executive. After dealing with lack of preparation and 'hard-sells', Ms. Executive declares in exasperation that she will not meet with any sales reps.
Step Three: Armed with answers to the above questions, you can now borrow best practices from Major Account Strategy. (See strategy in the Building Trust, Growing Sales book, Chapter 4). You have the following options:
A. Accept: (Frontal Attack Strategy)
If you believe you have a GREAT chance of success given the customers' current buying process and decision criteria, then accept their demand. This called a Frontal Attack strategy. This strategy is NOT recommended unless you have a GREAT chance of success.
B. Go Around: (Change The Game - New Game Strategy)
This strategy is also NOT recommended and is considered VERY risky! You may win the battle and lose the war. That is, you may get the meeting but lose the deal at hand. Or worse, you may win this deal but damage relationships and lose future opportunities to work with this client.
C. Negotiate Access: Quid Pro Quo (Change The Game - New Game Strategy)
I like this one the best. You simply negotiate access to the higher level. "Sure, great, I understand your need to limit access at this time. At my company we look at the process a bit differently than other providers. We are sincerely interested in a mutually beneficial, long term strategic relationship. It will be critical for us at some point to meet with Ms. Executive. I'd recommend that we do it together (see F below). We have found that that our client is the beneficiary of these key executive meetings. For example, if we both have several points of contacts within each of our businesses it permits us to stomp out small sparks before they become infernos. We've also had instances where we modify our offering based upon these key discussions resulting in a much better long term solution for our clients. At what point in your process will we be able to meet with her?"
D. Higher Authority, Organizational Alignment (Change The Game - New Game Strategy)
"Ms. Executive will be investing significant resources into this project. For the long term success of this project our clients have shared with us that it is essential that our senior executives have a strong relationship with your senior executives. At what point in your process will we be able to do this?"
E. Simply Redefine: "Don't Call Above My Head" to: "Keep Me Posted": (Change The Game - New Game Strategy)
"I won't call above your head but I can't guarantee we don't already have others from my company already working with Ms. Executive. I know you don't want any surprises, so I'll be sure to keep you posted"
F. Come With Me, I'll Make You Look Great! (Change The Game - New Game Strategy)
"Oh, I don't want you to think that I am planning to visit with Ms. Executive by myself. I'm thinking about conducting an executive briefing and including you in the discussion. My other clients have found this to be excellent exposure for them. It really leaves a very positive impression in Ms. Executive's mind about how you are running your department."
G. Disengage Strategy
After you get your responses to Steps One, Two & Three above you can then determine if it makes sense to continue to spend your companies' scarce resources on this project, or make use of the Disengage Strategy. This strategy of last resort would entail phoning your client, then following up with a formal letter indicating that you will be withdrawing your company from consideration.
Good Luck, and Close 'Em!
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Daniel Adams
Adams and Associates
532 Walker Road
Hinsdale, IL 60521
630-215-5090
Email: dadams@trusttriangleselling.com
Web: www.trusttriangleselling.com
Copyright © 2007, 2008 Adams & Associates. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Adams & Associates is prohibited and strictly enforced. |
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