Does the thought of talking about risk with your clients cause a panic attack? Learn the 5 categories of risk as well as 10 different ways to address the topic of risk with your customers.

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You’ve heard about
building “fences”
around accounts.
By doing this, you protect them
from predators or wandering off
to other pastures

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Many companies build these “fences” with
discounts, product features, service
offerings, etc.

4. 4
Many companies build these “fences” with
discounts, product features, service
offerings, etc.
While these are good approaches to
account management, they often don’t
protect company interest.

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This is because they aren’t always aligned to the
customer’s wants and needs…..their
buying process map

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A second option is to build a “fence”
by adding further value to your
customers.
One technique in this
vein is by
discussing risk with
them.

7. 7
Sign up for SBI’s 7th annual research tour:
“How to Make Your Number in 2014:
A Sales Strategy You Can Execute”
It is an onsite session with you and your leaders.
By participating, you also receive our
Risk Discussion Guide

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5 Categories of Risk
1. Talent – Do you have the talent you need?
• These are concerns over your staff’s ability to adopt
and manage the solution.
• If they can’t carry out your sales strategy, they are a
risk.

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2. Execution – Can your goals realistically be hit?
• There are often concerns about whether the
desired implementation timeline can be
met.
5 Categories of Risk

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3. Financial – What does your budget look like?
• These concerns center on implementation
overruns.
5 Categories of Risk

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4. Operational
• These are concerns over
potential business
disruption during the
transition to the new
solution.
5 Categories of Risk

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5. Career (Optional 5th area of concern) –
Concerns over the personal impact from
the decision.
5 Categories of Risk

13. 13
Sign up for SBI’s 7th annual research tour:
“How to Make Your Number in 2014:
A Sales Strategy You Can Execute”
It is an onsite session with you and your leaders.
By participating, you also receive our
Risk Discussion Guide

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10 Ways Risk Discussions
Help to Strengthen Your
Position

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#1 - Create a clear understanding between both parties
on the potential organization risks and rewards.
This type of
visibility
informs you
with
additional
buyer
insight or
future sales.

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#2 - Assure a smooth implementation for your customers.
- This makes everyone look good, and feel productive.
- It increases the chance that the customer will buy from you again.

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#3 - Use the Risk Discussion
Guide to help organize the risks
in a digestible way.
Additionally, each party is held
accountable by the
agreements.

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#4 - Help the customer
address potential risks.
By doing this, you officially
establish your company as
partners in their business.
The fact that you are
invested in their success can
go a long way.

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In this role you’re able to
offer sound warnings.
Furthermore, you can help
the customer change
direction if need be.
#5 - Separate
yourself from
the competition
by serving as a
positive change
agent.

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#6 - Collaborate on the
Risk Discussion Guide jointly, and
make it a living document.
It can be tweaked and updated
to keep everyone aligned and
aware of

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This helps diffuse conflict and stress that may arise
when a risk is realized.
By pinpointing risks sooner, your customer becomes
better prepared to deal with it.
#7 – Facilitate a proactive discussion.

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#8 - Make your customer
look like a rock star.
By addressing risk, you
allow your customer to
appear proactive.
As a result, they’ll trust you
as a partner.
Partnerships lead to
repeat business.

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#9. - Insight gained from risk discussions can be
shared internally with your team.
This will help to eliminate or mitigate risks
before they become a problem.

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#10 - As a joint record
of risk, use the Guide
to reference successes
and failures.
Leverage this
information to make
improvements,
identify best
practices, and flag
hazards.

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Initiating conversations around risks may seem
awkward at first.
Once you begin these discussions and see the
benefits, you’ll discover the value.

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It doesn’t only help
your customers
succeed.
It doubles as a sales
technique for your
organization, thus
also helping you
succeed.

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Don’t be thrown off by some customer resistance
to the idea.
Using the Risk Discussion Guide expands your
abilities and value.
Make it part of your standard operating
procedure, and customers will appreciate it.

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Learn More
If you don’t have a content management process or need help
optimizing your current one,
Contact us to hear the rest of the story...
Email - info@salesbenchmarkindex.com
Phone - 1-888-556-7338
Web: http://www.salesbenchmarkindex.com
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