Most sellers would say that the objective of a sales campaign is to win a deal by convincing the customer to buy from them. But is there more?
To answer this question, we’ll exercise unconventional thinking in the form of personification – treating something as a person to seek enhanced clarity and understanding.
Living organisms can be characterized in four ways:
· First, they have a very ordered structure. Cells make up tissue, tissues make up organs, and organs make up a person, as structure with a hierarchy. In comparison, a company has its hierarchical reporting structure of authority and function that, along with culture, drive productivity and stability.
· Second, a person requires good food and water for nourishment, while a company needs revenue and profit to sustain itself.
· Third, people grow to physical maturity, just as companies grow and mature in their markets.
· Fourth, people build families, giving birth to more people that reflect a genetic past, like companies that create new products/services and spin off new organizations that reflect a cultural past.
What then, is the personification of an important sales campaign? And why is it helpful?
· First, a sales team pursuing a big deal has to have the right structure and hierarchy that contains the right types of expertise, skills, personal attributes, and leadership.
Why? To be successful with a multidisciplinary approach (During the last $1 billion in sales pursuits, supported by Holden International, not one had the necessary team structure and operating protocols[1] at the beginning of the pursuit).
· Second, a pursuit team requires adequate business development funding and authority.
Why? To operate effectively, leveraging company expertise with a level of influence to stay free of inappropriate internal interference.
· Third, a pursuit team needs to grow its ability to expand the deal size through thought leadership.
Why? To generate increased profitable revenue, while strongly differentiating itself from the competition.
· Fourth, a world class pursuit team builds excellent relationships with powerful customer stakeholders that have long memories.
Why? To drive repeat business and leverage it to achieve market domination.
Personification can be a very useful tool when it comes to dealing with something important that requires wisdom and determination to get it right the first time, like being down selected and winning a deal. It’s thinking what has not been thought by your competition!
[1] See PART THREE, Winning Important Deals, in Selling in an Anxious World, for more information.