Hi, I am Sam Manfer and Welcome to my content rich blog on advanced sales training and relationship selling - especially at the C-levels.
Check out also my Advanced Sales Training and C-Level Selling website. It's full of free articles, videos, ebooks and more to help you sell or manage better.
Learn how to generate high quality leads with C-level executives using passive and active marketing effectively.
This article shows how to use the internet to generate leads and keep front of mind with your clients. It also give some key tips on networking - both in person and via social networking i.e. Web 2.0
Read the full article ... Capturing C-Level Quality Leads
Sales managers can shorten sales cycles substantially because sales people charge ahead until they are stopped by gatekeepers. That’s when sales starts to drag. This C-level sales management article provides proven coaching to prepare sales people to dodge the blocks that stall closing sales.
Read on ... C-Level Sales Management -- Helping Salespeople Handle Gatekeepers
Let's suppose you're talking with a prospect and you know your offering has to be approved by someone higher. Suppose you get along well. She or he likes what you have to say. She or he sees the benefits. Everything seems fine. What typically happens next? Well, you might ask for the order. She or he may say, “Let me check with someone else and get back to you.” You're feeling good.
Now what? Read on ... C-Level Selling -- The First Rule for Handling Gatekeepers
Many times the presentation leader will introduce the members of his/her team. It’s more impressive and a credibility builder if your team members introduce themselves. The audience will get a feel for this person. Then, when s/he speaks again, they will be more inclined to listen - as opposed to wonder who is this person.
It’s also more personal. Remember the final decision comes down to feelings. You want every member of the audience to feel good about the people on your team. If they are sitting there and you are pulling all the strings, it’s hard to feel good or anything about your team.
When introducing, everyone needs to be specific. What’s your role and what benefit do you bring to the project? Benefits are key. You can be the structures manager, but it means more that you will insure a sound structure that meets specifications and will be engineered on time and at 20% savings.
Again use numbers, names and details. What’s your experience? You’ve worked 22 years - not more than 20 years - doing …. You might mention other companies and people you’ve worked for, other projects, etc. if the audience will recognize them.
If people in the audience are familiar with your work, or have worked with you in the past, and/or you have a good professional relationship, bring that person into the introduction. For example you might say, “I was the project manager, as you well know John, on the
ABC
project.” John is on the committee and has credibility and his relationship with you transfers his credibility with the group to you. It’s a very strong credibility tactic.
Try to incorporate as many people as you can. However, your introduction has to be really short - 20 seconds, 25-40 words. So you’ll have to rehearse it. Do not try to wing it on the spot. It won’t work.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
Handouts are usually a distraction during the presentation, but can be a good reminder for after the presentation. During the presentation you want people focusing on you and what your team has to say. Handouts encourage them to be reading ahead and not listening. If handouts are an integral part of the discussion, then hand them out as they are needed. Highlighting areas you want them to focus on is helpful.
An agenda is a good handout for the leader to give each person when he starts his schmoozing. It’s a good excuse for the schmooze and it looks good as you cover everyone. The agenda can also have the names of your team members on it and their role / expertise / position.
A parting handout loaded with pictures, numbers, names, and details can be valuable. You can also fill it with points of their interests - not yours. Make it sort of a mini summary in living color - sort of a brochure. Remember they already have a written proposal.
Handout copies of the PowerPoint presentation only if someone asks for it. Ask for their email address and email the presentation - unless you feel there could be a competitive threat.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
The presentation leader must schmooze when s/he enters the room while the rest of the team sets-up and then schmoozes. The leader’s job is to break the tension and warm everyone up. Additionally s/he must get a sense about voters’ desires or hang-ups as they relate to the presentation. Working the room before the start is an excellent opportunity to get voters’ insights about what needs to be covered.
To do this the leader make his greeting to each participant and then says quietly to each, “So as not to disappoint you, what in particular do you want to be sure I cover?” or “What are your expectations for today’s presentation?” or something that opens them up. Then listens only and concurs. This is perfectly OK. If the person doesn’t want to answer, that’s fine. However, many will give you some good head’s up information.
Be sure to do it with everyone, otherwise those not asked may think something is going on, but don’t rush. Keep a short but steady pace. Target the surprise visitors first - especially those with power. Then move to the less well know and finally to those you know best. In this way you can get some intel, in case you’re pressed to begin the presentation.
The team members should immediately target the person they have a relationship with and ask about expectations or things they feel should be covered. Then move to others if there is still time.
Before the start the leader should pass by each team member and get any insights the team gathered from their relationships. The leader doesn’t have to share his. He can bring it up himself or as a team member to explain something that he feels should be brought out.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
You know some of the voters have issues and concerns that you are vulnerable to. What are they? How will you address them? Who will address them? Will you offer them up or will you wait for someone to bring them up? This all has to be discussed before the presentation.
Everyone has red flags. The way you address them and explain what you will do about them or handle them will show your competence. Pretending you don’t have any, shows you’re oblivious to the realities.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
Display pictures, renderings, charts around the room. As people start drifting from the presentation or lose interest or whatever, you want their eyes to wander to visual that will imprint on their minds and resonate in their belly. When they are not focused on you or your team, give them something to look at.
You might even spend a minute explaining what you’ve displayed to make sure they do wander over to those visual. Again, visuals make the future imaginable and real right now.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
Presentations are movie versions of the proposal books. As with the proposal wording is critical. You must frame all your descriptions around how the individuals and the organization will benefit from you doing the job. For example, “This is how we will assure your success.” Rather than, “We are the best at doing this.”
Use numbers names and details when explaining anything. These make it real, colorful and memorable.
Be sure to focus on individuals’ personal results and social expectations. Line items are put in there because they are important to someone in particular. Be sure to give that person the comfort it will be completed to his or her satisfaction. Remember it’s not all about the organizational success, it is about personal successes - especially high level ones. The voters must believe they will have their personal interests met or else they will vote for someone else.
Show that you understand all the various impacts to the business, to surrounding areas, to the environment, etc. Describe how you will mitigate these impacts. Describe how you will handle uncontrollable issues, i.e. weather, permits, mistakes, and how you’ve done it for others
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
Most presentations these days use PowerPoint. It has it advantages of being neat and people can follow along. However, it has the disadvantage of not being intimate. In other words, people read along and develop their own impression and feelings.
A presentation with pictures and someone explaining the proposal, with others reinforcing the details where necessary is more engaging. The audience has to listen and if they don’t understand or miss something, they will have to engage to learn.
The other disadvantage of PowerPoint is that the presenter gets wrapped up with the slides. He doesn’t focus on the people to gage their reactions. And even if he was smooth enough to look for reactions, most of the time the people will be reading rather than reacting.
All that being said, it should be the preference of the most senior i.e. powerful, decision maker attending that determines your method. So ask your contact for advice, and if possible ask the boss for his /her preference.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
Remember the three elements - project success, personal results, and social fears. How will you get these points across and who will talk about them? This has to be orchestrated.
I usually have a chart with each person’s name, position, power level and to whom that person reports. I then have an area reserved for the answer to the above question, “What will it take to win this person’s vote?” Until I can fill that in completely with confidence - I’m worried and looking for more information. The higher the power level, the more worried I get.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
Fill the presentation with people from your side that have relationships with people from their side. Relationships mean knowing this person well, having worked with this person favorably in the past, etc. There has got to be a professional bond, meaning this person trust the work will be done well and s/he will win professionally also.
Relationships are more important than expertise at the presentation. Stack your team accordingly - at least for the presentation. However, the person with the relationship must have good knowledge of the project - something that can be accomplished with some prepping.
For critical aspects or major components only, have an expert if there is no one with relationships strong enough to explain the details. For example, if it’s a highway bridge project, somebody really good at structures needs to be there. The people that will talk about traffic flow, drainage, and safety can be far less expert, but have solid relationships with audience members.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
Who will be at the presentation from the buyer’s side? It’s important to know this for all the obvious reasons, but let me state them anyway. You want to be ready to win over each and every person at the presentation. That person is there for a reason, no matter his or her level or position. This person also has a boss. As I’ve said in previous tips, to win over this person, you’ll have to show you can deliver his personal results and satisfy his social fears and expectations.
Hopefully you’ve met with this person prior to the no-talk phase. If not you’ll have to do some digging. Find people that know this person - people in your organization, the clients organization and outside both i.e. consultants, other vendors. Probe as to what he wanted for other projects. What were the turning factors? Who’s his boss? What has his boss wanted in the past? The answers to these questions will give you a sense about the individual. However, don’t just use your old notes or memory. Talk with others to validate your impressions.
If they won’t tell you who will be at the session. That’s a red flag. They may not know them self - not good, i.e. it’s not important enough for defined people to be assigned - not good. I could go on.
If you can find out at least what departments or agencies or areas will be represented, then you find out (by networking) who the bosses of those areas are and what results or assurances they typically want. Usually bosses set the tone and the subordinates follow.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
These are great for the skimmers. Pictures are memorable and colorful. People visualize themselves in pictures. They are great tools to make a positive impression. Be sure to describe the picture - who was it for and what it is. What do you want them to focus on, and how it is similar to what you will be doing for them? Think of a newspaper and the description below the picture.
Make renderings of what their completed project will look like and what it will look like during construction if some are concerned. The more visual you give the more real it will feel to them and the more you’ll get associated with that successful, finished feeling.
And now I invite you to learn more
Bonus Tip: FREE Video Series “40 Winning Strategies for Proposals and Presentations”. Just click this Sales Management Training & Proposals Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to become a 70% closer and feel comfortable selling to C-Level leaders.
Suppose you’re bidding on a material handling system. Describe how you understand disruptions to shipping during installation, but also it’s impact on production i.e. how product needs to be rerouted and handled differently; sales i.e. it may take longer to get sold products palletized and onto trucks; human resources i.e. they will need more manpower, etc. Then there are the collateral effects, environment, construction messes, noise, etc. Explain what you will do to mitigate these impacts on all the effected areas and how you’ve done it successfully in the pasts with numbers, names and details.
Show you understand elements that could impact the project that you have little or no control over. Weather can delay projects. Obtaining permits and inspections, union
and employee relations issues can also impact schedules. Again, how will you and how have you handled these non controllable impacts,
And now I invite you to learn more
Bonus Tip: FREE Video Series “40 Winning Strategies for Proposals and Presentations”. Just click this Sales Management Training & Proposals Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to become a 70% closer and feel comfortable selling to C-Level leaders.
17. Use Strong Positive Expressions
“We can …” “We will do ….” “Our history proves that we can ….” “We guarantee …” Back up your claims again with numbers, names and details. These are what gives your claims substance.
18. Make you words specific
Avoid ambiguous words such as; many, lots of, more than, reduce cost, safer, faster. Give them definition and color with numbers, names and details. Many becomes 23, lots of becomes 142, more than becomes the exact number, reduce costs becomes 22% cost reduction in 12 months, safer becomes 322 days without an accident.
And now I invite you to learn more
Bonus Tip: FREE Video Series “40 Winning Strategies for Proposals and Presentations”. Just click this Sales Management Training & Proposals Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to become a 70% closer and feel comfortable selling to C-Level leaders.
The words in your proposal have to be all about them. Yes, you have to tell of your capability, but tell it around their interest and the benefit it will provide each of the decision makers. For example, you have an excellent customer service department. Explain in your write-up that you understand their needs for excellent customer service. You should even explain what they mean by the word excellent. Then describe how the people and structure of your customer service department will help them meet those needs and expectations. This is different than telling them how great you customer service department is an assuming they will make the connection.
What you have and what you do are your features. Decision makers buy benefits, not features. So explain what you have and how what you do will work for them. Be careful to tell them about what they asked for and not what you think they should want.
And now I invite you to learn more
Bonus Tip: FREE Video Series “40 Winning Strategies for Proposals and Presentations”. Just click this Sales Management Training & Proposals Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to become a 70% closer and feel comfortable selling to C-Level leaders.
Win or lose, post contract is a the best time to to get more business. You now have access and know people you didn’t before. Win or lose, you now have relationships and if you don’t use them, you’ll really lose.
You can also learn why you won or why you lost the project which are data points for your ideal profiles.
Now here's how to get to see all these people and leverage them for more business.
Read on at Secure Additional C-Level Sales Post Contract, Win or Lose
Your final test to win contracts is your presentation. How professional you look based on what needs to be heard will determine your success or failure. Remember these voters want what they want - not what you think they should want. They also want no risk and maximum gain. Therefore you’ve got to be believable and on target. Confidence exudes believability and the best way to become confident is to rehearse.
So here is the best way to put your presentation together.
Read the full story at Preparations for C-Level Presentations Make Perfect
Let’s face it most key managers are not going to read long (14 ½ inches thick) proposals. Best case they will skim. However, you won’t know where they skim to and what catches their eye. So you have to write the proposal for the detail reader and the skimmer. For skimmers, use titles, subtitles and underlines. In this way they get the whole proposal in bite sizes and if they see a spot where they are more interested, they will read the details below the subtitles.
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