B2B Sales Consulting
“growing profitable revenues by improving your sales effectiveness”
BCS CONSIG GROUP
2 March 2005
How Clients Buy Consultancy Services
Tony Ryan
Director, B2B Sales Consulting
1
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
We help our clients sell complex, high value,
‘Business to Business’ propositions

OUR VALUE PROPOSITION
–
We help our clients win and grow profitable revenues by creating
demand, improving their direct and indirect sales effectiveness and
building their people’s confidence

OUR PEOPLE
–
We are experienced IT and Consulting Professionals with proven
Sales Track Records from Gemini, BAH, KPMG, Deloitte, CGE&Y,
Oracle & Baan and extensive experience in managing companies

OUR APPROACH
–
We work with clients to design and deliver assignments which are
customised from a proven toolkit to deliver agreed results.
2
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
We have a flexible approach to growing
our Clients’ profitable revenues
Market
Readiness
Lead Generation
& Demand Creation
Sales
Management
3
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
Sales Coaching
and Skills Transfer
Resource Mngmt.
and Recruitment
B2B Sales Consulting
Our clients tell us we understand
their revenue issues because ….
4

We are all ex- Management Consultants, and have also run
large companies, so we are uniquely placed to understand
the issues that you face when selling Consulting Services

As ex- Consultants, we provide you with coaching by people
who understand your business and can help you to deliver
the results that you require

Having performed the roles ourselves, we can offer a multilevel approach, as we have knowledge of the sectors that
you operate in and the issues that your clients are facing
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
Our clients tells us we deliver results because
we are practical, experienced, flexible & innovative
SHREEVEPORT
management consultancy
5
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
B2B Sales Consulting has a proven
sales tool kit for sales people
Bid
Management
TEAM
CAPABILITY
Sales
Strategies
Campaign
Management
Communications
Written, Verbal & Visual
INDIVIDUAL
CAPABILITY
BEHAVIOURAL
CAPABILITY
SALES
MANAGEMENT
CAPABILITY
6
Account
Development
Partnering
Team Selling
Team Buying
Competition
Decision
Management
Negotiating
Targeting
Qualification
Value Creation
Benefits
Development
Closing
Market
Messages
Lead
Generation
The 5 Selling
Steps
Handling the
1st Meeting
Phased
Selling
Styles &
Competencies
Buying
Climate
Behavioural
Communications
microBranding
InterPersonal
Selling
Pricing
Market
Positioning
Sales
Processes
Win
Planning
Performance
Appraisals
New Service
Development
Pipeline
Management
Market
Comms
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
Account
Win / Loss
Management
Debriefs
B2B Sales Consulting
Our Revenue Roadmap connects the 5
revenue building legs for profitable growth
NEW
OFFER
Capabilities
&
Service
Offers
New
Business
Short
Value
Proposition
DIRECTION
New
Services
and Markets
Value Chain
Market
Messages
EMERGING
CLIENTS’
NEEDS
Executive
Profiling
Lead
Generation
Demand
Creation
Development
Pipeline
and Bid
Management
GROWING
PROFITABLE
REVENUES
Account
Management
Market
Targeting
Account
Planning
Market
Partners
Account
Development
POSITION
EXISTING
B2B Sales Consulting Revenue Roadmap
7
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
What we’re going to look at tonight….
8

Buying Climate

Know how buyers
buy

InterPersonal Selling

A Buyer’s view of
Consultants!
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How Clients Buy Consultancy
Services
The Buying Climate
….avoiding rejection
9
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How does the Executive Problem Cycle
affect business development outcomes?
Success & Improved Results
- TOO LATE!
BODY SHOPPING
• filling resources gaps
• commodity market
Project Implementation
Prognosis
Diagnosis
Issue Identification
Non-performance
10
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
Late for Critical Bus ISSUE Development
• greater need for content & expertise
• needs expert validation
Critical Business Issue Development
• CEO needs help to form ideas
• needs confidence
• needs confidant
B2B Sales Consulting
The Buyer’s Mood gives a very strong
clue as to what is possible or not

Denial
–

Honest OK
–

The best buying situation to fix something
‘broken’ in an open relationship
Honest Growth
–
11
Complacent in an undemanding situation.
Despite counter evidence, lack of ambition will
inhibit buying
Honest Trouble
–

Very difficult to bring to reality, so extremely
unlikely to buy. Move on!
Very enthusiastic buyer pushed by ambition that
might bite off too much
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
Each Buying Personality has different
relationship needs, but they can all buy

Analyser
–
–

Socialiser
–
–

–
Cannot be rushed, needs to trust
You need to be patient and sensitive
Director
–
–
12
Can be over-expressive and misleading
You provide picture of how he will succeed with
his people
Truster
–

Needs detail, safety first decision
You provide facts to give him reassurance
Task/Product oriented and likes metrics
You provide the springboard for his success
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How Clients Buy Consultancy
Services
Know how buyers buy
13
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
WARNING: The hardest thing to sell is
….
Who me ?
…. Yourself, it’s better to create buyers!
14
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
Every new client will give you 6 Tests
CREDIBILITY
15
VALUE
TRUST
• Establish
company
credibility
• You add value
to executive’s
thinking
• Client is OK
to admit
problems
• Establish
personal
credibility
• You successfully
challenge
executive’s
thinking
• Client is OK
to ask for
help
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
Who needs a selling model?

Have you ever got lost in a sales meeting?

Do you want to avoid being labelled a Pushy
Salesperson?

Do you want
–
–
–
–
–
to create buyers instead of selling?
to develop a genuine understanding of your clients?
to make closing easier?
to build real “Win Win” sales?
to enjoy business development?
First step, understand how your client buys
16
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
The best ‘selling model’ is in fact a ‘buying
model’ - based on how buyers buy!
4th step
What Trial Approaches
“Would this work?”
“We found this with another client”
“What would be right for you?”
5th step
Now Close
(safely)
1st step
What REAL ISSUES?
-Professional?
-Personal?
17
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
2nd Step
What BENEFITS
“Success looks like”
“It’s worth….”
“We’ll have learned..”
Project
Pre
3rd step
What OBSTACLES
to success?
-Capability?
-Culture?
-Financial?
B2B Sales Consulting
Benefits can be identified in a
structured discussion using 4 Dimensions
• FINANCIAL
•Cost, Cash
•Revenue, Margin
•SHV
•OPERATIONAL
•Productivity, Stock turns
•Utilisation
•Service & Quality levels
•ORGANISATIONAL
ALIGNMENT
•Value Chain Alignment
•Performance Management
•Employee Turnover
•Improved Communications
•Vertical integration
18
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
•CAPABILITIES and
COMPETENCIES
•Sales effectiveness
•Service levels
•Operational excellence
•Supply Chain Excellence
•Market sensing
•Regulatory compliance
•CULTURE and BEHAVIOUR
•Behavioural improvement
•Motivation
•Pro-activeness
•Culture of innovation
•Managerial behaviour /
coaching
•Risk Taking
B2B Sales Consulting
Caution: The best development
discussions still need to be managed

Opportunity Development grows the sale value
Target

Lead
Develop
Close
Sell-on
Opportunity Management grows the probability of
success
Right Right
CompanyPerson
19
Open
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
Motive
to Buy
Timing Budget Competition
Decision
Making
B2B Sales Consulting
NEGOTIATE first then CLOSE
20

NEGOTIATIONS are
about finding out how to
fit each other’s needs as
best as possible

CLOSING is about
helping your client to
launch what you have
NEGOTIATED
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
Both sides have their own
4 Negotiating Elements
1.
What
are
your
Client’s?
21
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
‘Must Have’ Wins
2.
‘Like to Have’ Wins
3.
‘Tradeables’
4.
‘Non-Tradeables’
What
are
Yours?
B2B Sales Consulting
How Clients Buy Consultancy
Services
InterPersonal Selling©
22
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
When dealing with people, don’t assume
anything..…be extremely aware
23
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How important is the behavioural
side of client’s decision making?
Rational __?__ %
24
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
&
Behavioural __?__ %
B2B Sales Consulting
Why do People buy People?
Because the Behavioural dominates the Rational
25

They may not be able to judge your
expertise

They do not want to be threatened or
belittled

Personality is more variable than
competence

Trust is more important than ability
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
We all think and act at 3 levels
simultaneously.

Emotionally
–

Political
Politically
–

understanding the
personal context
Emotional
understanding how the
client organisation takes
decisions
Rational
Rationally
–
–
can not win here
but can be eliminated
Time
26
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
But clients cannot buy unless
Trust is growing
People
buy
People
Preparation
Credibility
x
Intimacy
Self-Interest
x
Risk
Client
first
27
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
Manage the
risk down
B2B Sales Consulting
The greatest human drivers have
always been FEAR and GREED
ACT ON GREED
ACT ON FEAR
If you’re not
sensing them,
then you’re
talking about the
wrong things
28
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
Simple Sale versus Complex Sale

Simple Sale = 1:1
–
–
–
–
Buyer knows needs
Seller can deliver
Buyer & Seller can Decide
Short Simple Sales Cycle

Complex Sale = TB:TS
–
–
29
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
Team Buying
 Clients may not have agreed
Needs or How to Buy
Team Selling
 Clients want to assess Selling
and Delivery Team
B2B Sales Consulting
Client Decision Making Process has 4
parts
Decision
Making Process
30
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
Criteria
Issues and Benefits
Makers
Situational
and Political
Funding
ROI and Pricing
Timing
Events and Reporting
B2B Sales Consulting
What we’ve just looked at….
31

Buying Climate

Know how buyers buy

Interpersonal Selling
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How Clients Buy Consultancy
Services
A Buyer’s view of Consultants!
32
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How am I feeling when I am buying ?









33
Skeptical
Insecure
Threatened
Impatient
Worried
Exposed
Ignorant
Concerned
Suspicious
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How I buy from Consultants
- What are my risks
34

My professional credibility

My company’s competitive edge

My company’s shareholder value

Lost time
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How I buy from Consultants
- Who do I buy

35
People
– who are pragmatic and battle hardened
– who roll up their sleeves
– with track records
– with grey hair, blood and guts
– without grey hair, fresh and creative
– who are committed
– who commit
– who I can trust
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How I buy from Consultants
- What do I buy and what don’t I buy?












36
Security
Speed to Market
Results
Skill
Good Communications
Openness
Team-players
Independent perspective
Clever frameworks
Methodology
Silver Bullets
Theory
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How I buy from Consultants
- When do I buy

37
When I need
–
brainpower
–
problem solving
–
knowledge transfer
–
extra hands
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
How I buy from Consultants
- What does Gainshare mean
38

Evidences consultant’s
commitment

Eliminates the dreamers

Economic necessity

Shared risk/reward
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
B2B Sales Consulting
growing profitable revenues by improving your sales effectiveness
Our next IMC ‘mini seminar’
“Understanding your Clients’ decision to
hire you”
At Regus Victoria, Portland House,
Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5RS
Tuesday 15 March
6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
39
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting
B2B Sales Consulting
growing profitable revenues by improving your sales effectiveness
How Clients Buy Consultancy Services
TonyRyan@B2BSalesConsulting.co.uk
Tony Ryan
Director, B2B Sales Consulting
40
© B2B Sales Consulting Limited 2003 All rights reserved.
B2B Sales Consulting