The challenge of stakeholder management within the sales process
如果卖家需要的唯一利益相关者是主要联系人,那么销售过程不是会更容易吗? Unfortunately, that is not often the case.
利益相关者管理是复杂的,因为它涉及到影响组织购买决策的不断扩大的角色. According to our 2021 Buyer Preferences Study, 现在,一般销售人员必须驾驭6个或更多的购买影响才能完成一笔交易(新卖家可能需要近5个月的时间)。.
对于大多数卖家来说,参与所有的购买影响是一个持续的挑战. 有些公司故意把他们藏在助理看门人后面. 其他利益相关者根本不习惯直接与销售团队接触.
这意味着任何销售过程的一个重要方面都是系统地寻找并建立与客户组织中所有潜在购买影响因素的关系. These hidden stakeholders are essential to closing deals.
Let’s explore four strategies for finding them.
1. Identify all buying influences
During the sales process, 不管卖家与潜在买家交往了多久,也不管他们在购买过程中处于什么阶段, 其他利益相关者有时会出现并对机会施加影响. 因此,卖家应该在销售过程中尽可能早地找到关键人物.
During conversations with the main point of contact, 卖家应该问问题,了解公司将如何做出最终的购买决定. 这些问题将减少在销售过程中出现意外影响者的可能性.
Ask questions such as these:
- Who is driving this initiative?
- 在这笔交易最终签署之前,你还需要和谁谈谈?
- Who will this solution affect?
- Who are you going to take this information to next?
- 在我们签署协议之前,我们面前有什么潜在的障碍吗?
2. Understand the sales process decision dynamic
As a sales leader, 重要的是要确保你的卖家在每笔交易中都能识别出隐藏的利益相关者. If your sales reps focus only on a single point of contact, 他们会错过识别各种影响者的机会,这些影响者可以促成销售.
Once a seller identifies all the buying influences, 共同努力,更好地掌握关键参与者的决策过程. 了解这种动态是战略机会管理的关键组成部分. Your sellers should learn about the organization’s buying process, be able to address its internal politics, 找出参与最终决策的人.
3. Invest in the coach that will advocate for your sales solution
教练是希望卖家赢得机会的人,因为他们提供的解决方案满足了教练的需求. 教练相信卖方的解决方案是产生客户期望结果的最佳选择.
Besides being an advocate for the sales solution , 教练可以为客户提供有关其他购买影响因素的信息. 这可以包括分享对每个潜在客户期望结果的有价值的见解.
A coach will not magically appear during sales planning. The seller needs to develop the coach. Developing this key player requires an investment in time, as they will be an advocate throughout the entire sales process, including during procurement.
然而,一些卖家犯的错误是没有培养这种指导关系. Sellers should continue investing in the coach, 因此,他们了解卖家对教练成功的承诺程度. 持续的培养将帮助卖家在整个购买过程中赢得教练的支持.
4. Engage with the anti-sponsor of your sales process
在你的销售过程中发现反赞助商可能是一个挑战. 反保荐人是想让卖家失去这个机会,甚至失去这个账户的人.
有时,反赞助商可能不会直接对销售代表表示反对. 或者,在与组织中的其他人讨论时,他们可能不会明确地对解决方案表示否定. 其他时候,一个看门人或另一个购买影响力阻止直接接触反赞助商. 这是另一个原因,继续努力发现所有隐藏的利益相关者在一个帐户.
这是教练参与你的销售策略的关键. Ask them whether there are any detractors and who they are. Seek to understand their concerns.
否则,反保荐人将积极地与卖家对抗,使他们处于防御状态. Be proactive about managing these individuals, 怎样才能让你的销售代表向你的潜在客户推销你的交易价值.
Help your sellers learn about critical stakeholders
在一天结束的时候,客户并不是在购买产品或服务. They’re buying the outcomes that a solution promises.
因此, it’s crucial to know all the hidden stakeholders, including the coach, anti-sponsor, and other buying influences who need to sign off on a project. 这样,卖家可以定制他们的销售流程和信息,以满足每个影响的具体需求.
为了帮助你的卖家了解如何通过发现隐藏的利益相关者来赢得更多的交易, 让他们参加我们的战略销售®透视销售培训. It will help your sellers manage complex opportunities, reach their sales goals, and develop a comprehensive sales strategy. 联系 us today to learn more.