|
COMMUNICATE
The Art of the Sale: Selling Digital Applications
Part 2 of 2: Crafting a Win-Win Solution
In the last issue of Dialogue, we discussed the importance of taking a solutions-oriented approach to selling, with emphasis on the initial customer conversations. In this issue, we will take a deeper dive into the solutions selling process by discussing ways to convert that initial conversation into a final solution that helps both your customer and you to come out winners.
Gathering and Interpreting Customer Needs
Solution selling is not about talking — it is about listening carefully for business issues that you can address. For example, customers may indicate that they are struggling with their inventory carrying costs for static literature or that they have a high waste rate on collateral because it needs to change before they have used all the existing inventory. Another increasingly common problem is marketing managers looking to help local salespeople or sales partners customize materials for their customers. (For example, in the insurance industry, this might be sales teams seeking to dual-brand marketing materials for individual accounts.) In early meetings, the sales team’s job is capturing these problems and getting them back to the office.
In working with clients, one real key is seeking out the opportunities that could result in ongoing work and not just a single job. Real business “problems” usually have a repetitive occurrence in an organization and are not one-time print jobs. This is important, since the most profitable digital programs are those that result in ongoing execution. Remember that digital printing is different from conventional printing, with a higher number of individual jobs, faster required turnaround times, shorter run lengths, and typically a lower revenue/margin per job. Your solutions strategy needs to be aligned with the unique value and manufacturing challenges inherent in digital printing. Your sales processes must be attuned to these circumstances so that your people bring in the right opportunities for you to succeed for your customer…and your company. 
Back at the office, your sales team should be able to collaborate with one or more solution experts who understand the nuances of the technologies available and who can help sales to assemble the perfect array of tools to satisfy the customers needs at the most competitive price. This is another key aspect of solution selling: the salesperson is rarely expected to “know it all.” Instead, the salesperson will work with peers, technical experts and/or industry experts to put together the final solution. Using our earlier example, selecting the right mix of KODAK INSITE products, production processes and print deliverables to assemble a “fulfillment-on-demand portal” or “distributed sales collateral customization and ordering portal” can be complex. By making solution development more collaborative, individual proposals are more likely to be accurate, effective and profitable.
Note that the collaboration is also bi-directional with the customer. Most solutions selling scenarios involve an extended sales cycle that includes multiple conversations/meetings with the client to refine the requirements and hone in on the final offering. Operationally, it is important to account for this additional selling cost in your pricing strategy to ensure business profitability.
Delivering the Offer
The final step in the process is delivering the offer. Since solutions are more complicated than a single-specification print job, your proposal is a crucial element in the selling process. An effective proposal clearly delineates:
- the customer’s specific requirements
- your detailed solutions offer
- an explanation of how your offer addresses the customer needs and delivers value to your customer.
Remember that value in the customer’s eyes can mean savings in monetary terms, time savings or efficiency improvements, increased sales, etc. Your sales team should clearly understand what value the customer is looking for as part of the solution offering since it is critical for shifting the focus of the offer away from price alone. The key in proposal writing is making the document speak to the customer’s specific needs and putting your final offer into “context.” For example, customers don’t really buy web-based storefronts. Instead, they buy more efficient purchasing processes executed through an online storefront.
One important final note. The proposal is also critical since a solutions purchase is often a team decision at the customer account. In most situations, the sales team will have met with many…but not all…of the final decision makers. The proposal is your “surrogate salesperson” in the final decision meetings. The more clear and informative it is (without being too lengthy!!) the more likely it can do its job when your salesperson is not around.
Conclusion
Digital solutions can help you rise above the commodity mentality that permeates conventional print purchasing to become a strategic supplier to a customer. Identifying a customer’s needs during the upfront sales process, then translating those needs into a professional and effective proposal is a powerful one-two punch that can land you more profitable business and help you build long-lasting strategic relationships with major accounts in your territory.
Ready To Transform Your Sales Program?
If you are looking for more ways to transform your sales processes and launch services like the ones described in this article, Kodak Market Mover Business Development Services are designed to help. We are here to help you develop your plan and access the complete array of resources we have available. For more details, visit our Website at http://marketmover.kodak.com or contact either of us directly using the information below:
Kodak Digital Sales Solutions Manager:
E-mail: |
Kodak Prepress Sales Solutions Manager:
E-mail: | |
