Discipline Courage & Curiosity /

12 / Discipline, Courage & Curiosity
Discipline is
The New Black /
Dare to prepare
Have you ever been called on to make a wedding
speech? If so, before the big day you probably
did some homework on the person you were
talking about and talked to others to find stories,
anecdotes and evidence. Subconsciously you
would have considered how to make it relevant
to your audience. No doubt you also practiced a
few times, editing your notes as you went, until
you were happy with the final result. Why did you
bother? Probably because you knew you had one
chance to make a great impression. You spent
time preparing and the investment you made in
time and preparation created a better outcome.
How often do we apply the same thoughtfulness
and disciplined approach to sales situations?
Face
To Face
Interactions
The most likely reasons that
would reduce your willingness to
buy from the seller.
10% 25% 23% 3% 8% 5% 10% 16%
Discipline is as essential to the sales process
as the presentation of the solution. Without it,
sales people will not measure up to the exacting
standards their customers are now expecting.
The sales process has become more sophisticated
and competitive, demanding a more deliberate
and focused approach. There is no room for
improvisation. Our research shows that credibility
and understanding carry as much as 50% of
the vote in the decision process. That requires
disciplined and authentic interactions with every
customer. Like a good wedding speech, our
business conversations must be organised and
authentic, not engineered.
What the buyer wants
The research tells us the Buyer is looking for value
in the conversation and that interactions need to
have a sense of purpose and intent.
More than half of respondents identified that a key
part of their decision making process was based
on the sales professional’s deep knowledge of
the Buyer’s industry, business drivers and needs.
Each interaction needs to be considered and
prepared - but not scripted, because the Buyer
will be continuously assessing your credibility and
ability to bring value.
Talking about themselves too much
Not listening
Lack of subject area knowledge
Poor quality questioning
Lack of awareness
Lack of compatibility
Lack of responsiveness
Poor preparation