The L.E.A.D.E.R. strategy increases your chances of winning an order if you master six elements. The better you apply each element individually, the greater your chances of being successful. This isn’t just an empty promise, but something that has been established through 35 years of practical experience – both first-hand and through observing and mentoring many coachees.
The six elements that need to be addressed in order to be successful:
These are all covered in a good sales process, but not necessarily in this order. Sometimes you switch from one element to another and back again; sometimes you focus on one, sometimes on another. The bottom line is that the better you are in using all 6 elements, the greater your chance of success.
Leader
Every sale goes more smoothly when the salesperson takes a clear lead. At the start of the conversation, set the agenda – or at least structure the conversation – in a respectful and polite manner. This allows you to ask for permission to explore the customer’s objectives and raise a number of topics, such as industry trends and the way you work. It’s also a good idea to have a checklist to hand – which also demonstrates that you’ve prepared thoroughly and are approaching the task professionally.
When the conversation goes off-topic, a strong, proactive salesperson steers it back to its ultimate goal: the sale. The discussion about price, or investment, only takes place when it becomes relevant. In this part of the conversation too, it remains important that you stay firmly in control. False modesty has no place here. Your straightforward approach to price and closing the deal will be rewarded with a positive impression of you as a strong salesperson.
Evaluation
Asking evaluation questions throughout the sales conversation serves two purposes: on the one hand, by asking questions that elicit positive responses, you gradually bring the sales conversation to a close. On the other hand, you are likely to encounter resistance from time to time, which you can address during a subsequent stage of the sales pitch.
To close specific topics and identify key points of resistance, ask questions such as “What is your view on the approach we have just discussed?”, “What do you consider to be the most positive aspects of this proposal?” or “Taking into account your role in the company, what is your opinion on this?”
Added value
Asking questions, asking good questions, asking open questions… I cannot stress this enough: whoever asks the questions is in charge! And if you ask questions in the right way, you’ll eventually be able to almost read your client’s mind. You’ll gain access to so much information that it becomes easier to identify problems on the one hand and find the right solution on the other. So make a list of at least 10 questions that you can use regularly and practise using them.
These questions are important because the best arguments to use to convince someone are their own arguments. For example, if a client asks for the ‘best consultant’, you might ask: ‘Of course! All our consultants are excellent! Tell me, what makes exactly a good consultant?’
Questions may relate to technical matters, but seeking opinions is also extremely valuable. Questions such as “What do you think about this?” bring objections to the surface, which you can address and subsequently suggest suitable alternatives. In this way, the customers themselves provide the arguments needed to convince them.
Decision-making unit
No one can sell to someone who does not have the M.A.N. (Money – Authority – Need). With new prospects, it is therefore important to find out how and by whom decisions are made. It is essential to follow this order: first ask ‘how’ decisions are taken and only at the very end ‘who’ decides – and who else is involved in the process.
If someone else needs to be consulted, or even has full decision-making authority, it is important to find out what their points of attention are. You could simply ask what might be the deciding factor for this DMU. After all, your contact will also want to see their choice confirmed and will therefore be interested in your help.
Evolution
What are your ambitions? What are the client’s ambitions? In the short and long term? What is their vision for the future, where are they now, and where do they want to go? If you can find answers to these questions, you’ll position yourself as a driving force behind your client’s business. They’ll feel that you’re thinking alongside them and want to help them move their project forward. As a salesperson, you’ll then be seen as someone who genuinely provides support.
Real pain
Our proactive sales approach creates demand and anticipates that demand by providing additional information in advance. Demand arises because the proactive salesperson shares relevant case studies. Through these stories, their client can discover new opportunities or, conversely, identify risks. We refer to these risks or potentially missed opportunities as ‘real pain’.
But whether we’re talking about ‘real pain’, needs or wants … the question is simply how urgent they are. After all, urgency increases the desire to buy. If you know exactly what the ‘real pain’ is, you can continue to raise the topic by asking clever questions. By constantly pressing on this ‘real pain’, you increase the discomfort and the urgency to do something about it. And doing something about it… well, that’s possible thanks to the solution that you are offering, of course.
Would you like more information? Contact liesbeth.huysmans@liss.cc
Contact us
Liesbeth Huysmans,
Tel +32 (0)475 54 52 48
liesbeth.huysmans@liss.cc
