Many people are repulsed by salespeople. When people pick up the phone and discover that a salesperson is on the other end of the call, if they don’t hang up immediately, they typically put up their guard and wonder how they can quickly end the conversation. Why do people react this way? First, the call is an unexpected and unwelcome interruption in their day. Second, they believe they’re about to receive a coercive sales “pitch” from a commissioned sales representative, asking them to buy something that they may not want or need. This defensive reaction probably goes all the way back to the “snake oil salesmen” traveling from town to town touting some miracle cure, and it’s tough to overcome. The perception also makes the average sales representative cringe and want to seek another line of work. This is understandable as this phenomenon is an immediate uncomfortable obstacle when doing their job.
The Complex Sale
I dedicated many years of my career to directly selling or supporting the B2B (Business to Business) sales efforts for two major Fortune 500 management services companies. The type of sales I was involved in is referred to as "complex." These sales have lengthy cycles, ranging from eight to twenty-four months. They always involve many individuals from the purchasing company's team. Once the sale is negotiated, a contract is signed that commits the parties for a long duration, typically from three to ten years. The financial value of a complex sale is usually substantial over the contract's lifespan.
Throughout my career, I discovered which behaviors obstructed my progress and which better facilitated it. This understanding led me to what I now call a "Collaborative Solutioning" approach.
If individuals dislike or resist being "sold to," a specific realization became evident to me. I need to eliminate any actions that even slightly resemble "selling." I think this holds true today, regardless of the sales method used.
Collaborative solutioning occurs along a relationship pathway through three phases as shown in the illustration. It requires communication with prospects on a deeper level than it does in a transactional sale. In essence, the approach involves two (or more) people who decide they want to work together on a plan to implement change. One that will have impact to create better outcomes, and presumably for the good of both organizations.
Transactional sales are likely to be happen quicker than that of Collaborative Solutioning, making it difficult to cultivate a relationship, unless it is a recurring sale.
1. Cultivation
The Cultivation phase is vital for the collaborative solutioning process to proceed successfully, and become strong enough to last. Cultivation can begin with a simple email exchange, a brief encounter at a networking event, or a connection on social media. If we are fortunate, it will progress with one or more meetings where the parties continue to become better acquainted. They will hopefully begin to like one another and achieve the essential foundation of trust. In business and personal relationships, trust is essential for moving forward and pushing the boundaries of growth. Giving trust takes courage, while broken trust is painful and often final.
This initial phase in the relationship requires the seller to be patient. They must listen carefully to what is being said by the prospective buyer. Allow conversations to push out into different areas that may have nothing to do with your product or service. Discover common ground on a business or personal level. Speeding through, or trying to leap over the cultivation phase creates a sense for the buyer that you have only one interest – to sell them something. Investing time in creating an authentic relationship conveys the opposite of selling. That you’re interested to see if a good fit exists, and if there is an opportunity to help one another achieve greater success. Note the word “if” in this sentence. Can you accept that not everyone can become your client?
Key Takeaway: People want to buy from people they like, trust, and who understand their business.
Who Called This Meeting Anyway?
It matters WHO called the meeting. If you arranged it, then you have more ability to control the agenda and therefore the pace of the relationship. The prospective buyer agreed to your request to meet, it’s up to you how to use this time. The prospect expects you’ll jump into selling them, but don’t do it. Be patient. If you move too fast toward selling, you’ll lost the opportunity to form a relationship. And, you might push the prospect into a premature decision about your product or service.
There is a reason they are called “complex sales”. Keep in mind you may not be talking with the actual decision-maker. Or that there are likely other people to meet who will also be part of the buying decision. You may even determine that the timing is not right, but you want to leave having established a good relationship. I am by no means suggesting that you don’t speak a word about your product or service in this initial meeting. I am suggesting you don’t allow it dominate the meeting. Say enough to wet their appetite and want to learn more.
Now on the other hand, if the prospective buyer called you to arrange the meeting, they are shopping or have a need. Therefore, they will control the agenda for the meeting. This is the time where the seller must take a quick read on the prospects tone and intention. They may want to get right down to business because their current situation is dire. If the situation is dire, responding with a sense of urgency will be important, so “small talk” will have to be set aside for now. This is the time to become a valued “foxhole partner” to the prospect.
Maybe their situation is okay, but they’re looking to improve outcomes. It’s likely they have already reviewed your company website, and know more about you than you think. In which case you may have an opportunity to begin a cultivate a relationship. This is the time to use your emotional intelligence skills to accurately read and understand the prospects situation. It will still be important to ask solid questions and try to learn as much as possible about their situation.
In both cases, keep in mind the natural human process illustrated above. If the prospects situation is dire, you can take every opportunity to circle back to the cultivation and the connecting phases. This is important to the overall success of the partnership you’re hoping to form.
Connecting
If the prospective buyer is not willing to open up, it means they have not developed trust. The kind of trust that gives them the confidence that if they share challenges or shortfalls in their current situation, the seller won’t use this knowledge as an opening to lunge into selling. If they’re not opening up, then you’re still in the cultivation phase attempting to form a feeling of genuine trust.
At some point you will hopefully move from the cultivation phase to the connection phase. You’ll know this because the prospect will begin to tell you more about their challenges. When the prospective buyer feels comfortable enough to open up and expose vulnerability, you have entered the connection phase of the relationship. When people share fears or weaknesses, they are making themselves vulnerable to your judgement. Prospective buyers will respond to empathy and meaningful comments. Smart sellers see this for what it is, a human moment that requires sensitivity and restraint.
When connecting, sharing a similar experience can be very powerful. There is great strength in having common experiences, and sharing how they made you feel. Discussing what approach you took – without overtly selling - will likely give the prospective buyer some insight into their own challenge. If the insight your sharing is connected to your product or service, be mindful of how you convey the point. Try to offer it in a way that is received as an attempt to be helpful. If the prospective buyer inquires more about the path you took, you can reveal more about the role your company played. Remember that you’re not selling, you are forming a relationship with an eye on being valued by the prospective buyer.
Collaborating
You’ve heard the phrase “two heads are better than one”. Collaborative solutioning is exactly this. It’s all about the “we” and not the “me”. The essence of collaboration is give-and-take, and compromise. The prospect and their colleagues know the dynamics of their organization better than you. But you possess expertise relative to your service or product. Using collective knowledge for the good of the desired outcome is smart. Plus, if the relationship is strong from the initial two stages, push back and challenging one another is not threatening, but welcomed. Egos or insecurity can be obstacles. Collaboration means dedication to the vision of what can be. It does not mean one “side telling the other how things will be”. The smart sales representative sees the value in their prospects having their “fingerprints” on the design.
Let me offer a word of caution. Many companies provide a product or service they present as a ready-made or turnkey package. Unless this is what the client is looking for, this approach opposes the true spirit of collaboration. Sellers should engage with internal company leaders to identify areas for adaptation or customization. I am not suggesting you relinquishing your expertise. There are situations where you must assert your stance based on your knowledge and experience. However, failing to allow for some level of customization can obstruct collaboration and somewhat restrict the opportunity. Consider which aspects you can tailor to develop a superior solution for the prospect.
Win-Win Partnerships
A natural result of Collaborative Solutioning is forming a partnership. There are various interpretations of what partnerships entail. My perspective includes two essential components:
(1) Relationship Characteristics – partners primarily trust each other. They are open and honest with important information. They treat one another with respect as equals, committed to each other's success. They are loyal and will support one another if needed.
(2) Business Results – the goals the partners aim to achieve. These are often measured by Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), usually centered on enhancing the client's business results. The provider is also clear about their goals for organizational success. The provider partner expects to make a profit and to be incentivized to earn more by delivering greater value. They also want to be paid according to the agreed upon terms. And they expect the client to provide them with a strong reference should they perform.
How Do You Sell?
There are many transactional sales environments where collaborative solutioning might not be relevant—place emphasis on "might." However, the fundamental principles can be applied to almost any sales scenario. When you're at your local hardware store, don't you prefer to purchase from someone who is friendly, seeks to understand your needs, and whom you feel you can trust?
Ed Snowden
Principal Consultant
Leverage Experience
After 42 years of working in the corporate world for Fortune 500 hospitality management firms, in 2020 Ed began his consulting journey by forming Leverage Experience, LLC. His Purpose is to give others the benefit of his learnings across all areas of business: complex sales, sales leadership, strategic account management, and client retention.
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