Discipline Courage & Curiosity /

Recommendations

Info

14 / Discipline, Courage & Curiosity If a customer says to you, “That’s a good question”, it probably is. Stay focussed on the customer and ask questions that shape a conversation as opposed to following a prescriptive questioning formula aimed at enabling you to tick boxes against the appropriateness of your solution. Any level of self-interest will probably be fairly obvious to the Buyer, so the conversation needs to be genuinely about them. The conversation should be memorable for all the right reasons. A few years ago we were having an important first meeting with a large global company within a sector that was known to be traditionally male dominated. Our pre-meeting research revealed the company had recently won an award as the “Employer of Choice for Women”. We also noticed their competitors had single digit figures for gender diversity. As we explored ways to grow the capability of their team we were able to say, “Congratulations on winning the employer of choice award for women. What is it that you’ve have initiated in the business that has put you so far in front of your competitors?”. By demonstrating awareness of a key strategy, the information they went on to share with us gave a much deeper insight into their culture, strategy and focussed activity. This helped us respond with a very specific and appropriate solution for their business. We still work with them today. Why? Because this approach does not only apply to the first interaction: you must remain curious and add value throughout your tenure with a customer. Being a “one-hit wonder” may win you the business, but discipline, courage and curiosity will help you keep it. Purchasing and Procurement Officers tell us that complacency of the incumbent is the single biggest reason why they look for alternatives and issue new tenders. This means that we cannot risk improvisation at any point in our relationship with the Customer. We Recommend... 5 activities for a more disciplined approach One Two Three Create an evidence bank you can draw on to support your case. Develop simple, consistent disciplines pre and post sales calls – send agendas and follow up emails capturing actions, owners and time frames. Leverage company profile report services to assist with researching, or develop an internal system. Coming back to the Maister principles, intimacy demonstrates an understanding of the customer that is more substantial than anyone else. It also helps with authenticity, connectivity and your ability to put your customer at ease. This practice does not happen without discipline and research. Be curious, be prepared, and demonstrate appropriate intimacy. Be the person your Buyer wants to deal with and enjoy memorable conversations that resonate with your customer. This will drive your credibility and increase your probability of winning their business. Four Five Ask yourself before every customer interaction: “what do I want them to think, feel, and do as a result of this meeting?” Rehearse the first five minutes of the meeting – this creates clarity and confidence.
2015 Global Report: What it takes to win business whitepaper / 15 Insight #3 Courage & Curiosity to Shift Thinking Deliver insight, not just information
Page 1 and 2: 2015 Global Report: What it takes t
Page 13: 2015 Global Report: What it takes t
Page 27: www.rogensi.com © rogenSi IP limit

Discipline Courage & Curiosity /

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?