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WE ARE IN THE LAST
QUARTER OF 2008! HERE ARE SOME
SUGGESTIONS TO END
THE YEAR ON THE RUN AND TO BEGIN PLANNING
FOR
2009
I have run this article every year at this
time since 2005. I continue to receive feedback that it
has been helpful. So here it is again with some
updates in light of recent economic events!
I. Accelerating the completion of any outstanding
SOE's (Sequence of Events)!
The 2008 year end is rapidly approaching us. Whether
your business year end occurs at the calender year or
another fiscal calender month, there are some things
you might consider accomplishing before 2008 is
over.
If you are using a SOE (Sequence of Events)
with your prospects and accounts that have projects
being evaluated, where are you in the completion of
the outstanding items left prior to the Pre-Decision
Review Meeting?
Are there any steps in the SOE that may be able to be
accelerated upon mutual agreement between the
prospect and you? Would accelerating these steps
create a situation of getting out of personal alignment
with the prospect? If not, consider meeting with your
prospects to review the current SOE and potentially
accelerating completion dates.
If you do not have SOE's in place with existing clients,
consider meeting with them to mutually determine
what remaining steps need to be accomplished prior
to their decision. Then aggressively manage the SOE
to its completion.
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II. Is there a written Value or Cost Justification with
the
client at this time?
It is generally known that in current economic times
such as we are in, senior management tightens
spending in many areas. One of those areas is new
spending for products and services. Studies have
shown that greater importance is placed on cost
justification prior to spending for new products and
services.
If a written value or cost justification hasn't been
accomplished yet with evaluating prospects or
accounts, is it possible to hold a meeting(s) to
discuss and document VALUE soon (within a week or
so)?
If meeting(s) can be scheduled, go prepared to
discuss the current operating environment of your
client (Use an SDP..Solution Development Prompter)
and what the value would be if appropriate USAGE
SCENARIOS or POTENTIAL CAPABILITIES were
available.
Clients tell us that the recognition of VALUE in
doing
something creates urgency to action. We have seen
Sequences of Events accelerated
dramatically once a
client/prospect becomes convinced they can achieve
significant value by taking appropriate
ACTION.
IF THERE IS a written cost or value justification,
consider reminding the client of that value and
discuss how steps may be accelerated to more
quickly help them achieve their goals.
III. Prepare your GO TO MARKET
Strategies and
Tactics!
Now is the time to begin your planning for 2009!
Analyze your territory or named accounts to determine
where you will take proactive steps to gain access to
key players and get decision cycles started.
Prepare a success plan which details the What, Who,
Where, When, and HOW's needed to ensure you
achieve and exceed your goals for 2009. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A TEMPLATED SUCCESS
PLAN, PLEASE CONTACT ME!
Review your companies products and services
offerings. Determine if there are new potential
capabilities that can be incorporated into your solution
development steps with prospects and existing
clients. If so, then expand your SDP's to include those
new capabilities. Along with that, determine with
internal experts or with trusted clients what the value
of those capabilities could or may be for
them.
Please call or email me if you would like to learn more
about CustomerCentric Selling® programs available
to your organization.
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Future editions of From the Desk of Dan
Lemke.......
In subsequent editions
of this newsletter I will focus
on the
following key skills of selling and marketing.
CustomerCentric Selling® Sales
Process
- Successfully executing the Process Steps in a sell
cycle
- Selling Skills - Which skills are needed when?
- Sales Ready Messaging® Tools and when they
should be used!
- Sales Process Deliverables - How do I know the
prospect and I are on the same page?
- Milestones & Probabilities of a sale - How do I
know where the prospect is during the sell cycle and
when are they ready to buy?
Marketing skills
- Preparing messages for Solution Development
conversations that help buyers conclude I may be their
best solution!
- Establishing business value for your solutions
with prospects early in a sell cycle!
- Determining your company's market
positioning so I'm asking sales personnel to go
where the GOLD is!!
- Preparation of your company's "Core Marketing
Messages" and using a "Rifle Shot" approach!
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I'll be in
touch with you in
November 2008.
As always, if you would like to discuss the current
selling or marketing situation you are in, please
contact me at any time!
Feel free to forward this e-mail to any associates that
you feel could benefit from this
information. The link provided below will allow you to
do that.
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Good Selling,
Dan Lemke
A Licensed Affiliate of
CustomerCentric Systems®
send
me an email
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Dan Lemke
Dan spent 25+ years in sales,
marketing and
executive management of software, hardware,
networking, and professional services organizations.
He held mgt. positions at Cargill, Xerox, AT&T,
Tandem Computers, Lawson Software, and
Control Data Systems.
Dan works with companies that
are concerned with improving sales productivity,
marketing effectiveness, and provides coaching to
senior
executives in effective sales and marketing
techniques throughout the United States,
Canada,
and Europe.
His accomplishments include:
*Selection to the Presidents Council at Tandem
Computers
*Recognition for achieving greater than quota
attainment in 16 of 19 years
*Recognition as an Outstanding Marketing Executive
in
1995 at Tandem
He has trained, managed and
consulted with thousands of sales and management
personnel as both a consultant, and
executive.
Lemke holds a B.S. in Finance, a B.S. in
Management, and post graduate work in Finance
from the University of Utah.
Today he speaks, instructs, and consults at public
and private workshops regarding the strategies and
tactics of successfully selling and marketing to
buyers in many industries such as:
- Computer Software
- Computer Hardware
- Professional/Consulting Services
- Printing and Support Services
- Financial Services
- Medical Industry
CustomerCentric Selling® -
Midwest
100 Parkers Lake Road
Wayzata, MN 55391
PH: 952-475-1475
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