Are you ready to play in the major league? Do you have what it takes to outshine your competition and secure major deals with huge clients? The rules of the sales game have shifted, particularly when it comes to landing the “Big Kahuna.”
When it comes to getting a large sale, what you bring to the table and how you interact with your prospect will determine your sales success. When you are interacting with a sophisticated buyer, the research is clear. There are ways to provide value and impact that will win you more clients. These include:
- Identifying your unique benefits that are most relevant to your prospect
- Helping them navigate alternatives
- Providing them ongoing advice and consultation
- Helping them avoid potential land mines
- Educating them on new issues and outcomes
So when we put this all into perspective, there are five key steps that are necessary to work through a big business development opportunity.
Step 1: Identify your unique benefits
In this step, you are answering the question, “Why should this large client hire you over your competition?” It’s a difficult question for most of us to answer. When you start to review the specific set of capabilities that set you apart, you often have a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. Being “client-focused,” having a “great team,” or offering “diverse expertise” starts to sound like some of your competitors. What sets you apart in a way that truly matters to your clients?
Question to answer: Are you truly better in a way that is relevant to your clients?
Step 2: Develop customer-centric insights and Unparalleled Value
There are two key parts of this step. First, you have to develop “customer-centric insights.” This means that you have to have a deep understanding of the issues that face your customers. This is a strong testament to narrowing your sales focus to a Bull’s Eye Market and not being all things to all people. It’s all a testament to doing your homework and building your expertise.
Second, you have to offer “unparaIleled value.” This is something that sets you apart in a meaningful and relevant way. It’s also something that you can provide that your competition can’t. “Unparalleled value” is simply a unique perspective and value that you bring to the table, based on your own expertise, experience and perspective.
Your advice should help your prospect seize new opportunities, avoid potential problems or create new outcomes in a bigger, bolder or better way.
Question to answer: Are you creating “wow” moments for your prospects that help them redefine how they move forward?
Step 3: Create a deeper dialogue and emotional connection
In one study, the biggest driver for support and loyalty by a prospect was professionalism. Beyond anything, you must be seen as someone that they can believe and trust. So how do you do that? Creating a dialogue, asking the right questions and actively listening are the cornerstone to forming a deeper understanding and perspective that, in turn, leads to a stronger connection and credibility.
Other drivers include the ability to offer unique perspective and insights based on their situation, being frank without overstating value or understating difficulties and having the knowledge of the client’s business so you can help them avoid potential land mines.
Of course with a large prospect, this process is often done simultaneously with multiple decision-makers or influencers in the organization.
Question to answer: Are you connecting on a deeper emotional level with your prospects?
Step 4: Communicate Your Insights
You will need to share your insights and your Unparalleled Value with your prospect. With regard to your insights, using Validation Stories or Case Studies can be a great way to share important information. By sharing how you helped another client in a similar situation, you enhance your credibility, build trust and create a bond with your prospect. The more compelling your stories and the more relevant they are to your prospect, the better.
Question to answer: Do you have compelling Validation Stories that are meaningful to your prospects?
Step 5: Leverage the opportunity
Now that you have your prospect seeing you as insightful expert who brings unique benefits to the table, how do you leverage this to be a win-win opportunity for your client? I want to point out that now is NOT the time to stronghold your prospect into some questionable “closing” tactic. Part of the beauty of this sales process is that you are helping your prospect “see the light.” By providing “unparalleled value” and insights that gives the prospect a new and enlightened perspective, you have set yourself up for a high probability of being selected.
Remember, you are looking to form a long-term partnership with your prospect. So you have to think how would you like to be treated in a partnership? And then put yourself in your prospect’s shoes and ask the same question. The obvious answer is that your prospect is looking for a valuable and trusted ally. They are looking for a peer-to-peer relationship where both parties respect and value the other. And they are looking for a way to come out of this relationship in a true win-win scenario. You create that and the business is yours.
Question to answer: How do you make yourself the go-to option for your prospect?
