Nail the sale: Selling in B2B markets with David Mellor

It’s not rocket science, it’s neuroscience…..
Building better relationships with clients and prospects
David Mellor
2016
WWW.DAVIDMELLORMENTORING.COM 1

Introduction
WWW.DAVIDMELLORMENTORING.COM
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Topics
 Self-Awareness
 Sales Process
 Adaptive Selling
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Part 1 – Self-Awareness
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Exercise
“A Winning Hand”
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“Neuroscience is where the intellectual action is these days”
“We seem to read about neuroscience everywhere these days.
Why are people so interested in it right now?”
“The possibilities for neuroscience are almost limitless”
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Understanding Yourself
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Copyright: The Center for Applied Neuroscience 9
(novelty and reward seeking)
SEROTONIN
(mood control and conformity seeking)
Individuals who inherited particular genes in the
Dopamine system tend to be:
Serotonin system tend to be:
conscientious, conventional, cautious, but
not fearful, detail oriented, persistent,
precise, orderly, consistent, careful planners,
calm.
unconventional, uninhibited, optimistic,
mentally flexible, spontaneous, creative,
impulsive, curious, opportunistic, energetic,
reckless.
ESTROGEN
(empathy seeking)
TESTOSTERONE
(dominance seeking)
Estrogen system tend to be:
Testosterone system tend to be:
competitive, independent, forthright, practical,
aggressive, emotionally contained, decisive,
direct, tough-minded, daring, focused.
caring, nurturing, sympathetic, idealistic,
agreeable, supportive, sensitive, kind
hearted, charitable, tolerant, unassuming,
sentimental.
NeurotransmittersHormones
DOPAMINE
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Physiology Metaphor
The Brain The PRISM model
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TALKATIVE
IMPULSIVE
OPTIMISTIC
IMAGINATIVE
ENTHUSIASTIC
ENTERTAINING
KIND - HEARTED
CONSIDERATE
SUPPORTIVE
CARING
RELIABLE
GENTLE
CAREFUL
DETAILED
REALISTIC
ACCURATE
ATTENTIVE
THOROUGH
CHALLENGING
COMPETITIVE
OUTSPOKEN
IMPATIENT
FORCEFUL
DECISIVE
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Part 2 – Sales Process
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The Sales Challenge
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Attributes of a Salesperson
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Features and Benefits
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USP
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Proof
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Sales Qualification Process
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Sales Pipeline
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Activity Plan
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Asking for the Business
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Part 3 – Adaptive Selling
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Adapting, Communicating
and Relationship Building
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SELLING
IS ABOUT
PERSUASION
Persuasion is the process
of guiding others towards the
adoption of an idea, attitude or action.
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ADAPTIVE
SELLING IS …
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OXFORD UNIVERSITY RESEARCH
“This three-year project will be the first large-scale study of how
emerging neurological knowledge about human decision-making
is transforming the techniques of those who seek to influence
the behaviour of consumers.
It has far reaching implications for what we know about how
humans make their choices, the role of the brain and the factors
at play in everyday decisions we all take.”
Professor Steve Woolgar, Sayeed Business School, Oxford University
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ADAPTIVE SELLING
“Salespeople must remember that each customer is the centre of his or her
own world, with a unique set of interests, motivations and beliefs. To be
successful, the salesperson needs to discover those elements of their
thinking, acknowledge them, and build on them in order to connect with
audience.
People prefer to buy from those who are like them. All too often, however,
salespeople fail because they’re trying to impress their audience with their
knowledge, rather than trying to relate to them as potential customers.
Ironically, even real experts fail when they attempt to impress audiences
this way.”
Dr Stephen Kosslyn, Chair of the Department of Psychology,Harvard University
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30

The ‘Gremlin’ Brain
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FRIEND OR FOE?
Part of the human brain has the sole function of deciding at the moment of
first contact whether the person in front of it is a friend or a foe. Located
within the subcortical brain, this brain part it is incapable of thought or
rationalisation and reacts purely on instinct by how it perceives the situation.
To avoid alarming that part of your customer’s brain, the signals that you
need to give out at that very first point of contact must put the customer at
ease. This includes your movements, gestures, facial expression, eye
contact, your appearance, clothes, enthusiasm and posture.
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THE FIRST STEP
So, the first step in delivering great sales performance is have our total focus
on influencing the customer’s sub-cortical brain – the brain’s alarm system –
its ‘guardian’.
After we have ‘disarmed’ it, we can then go on to develop and build rapport,
and open the potential customer’s message receptors so we can sell to them.
This means that we must focus on the customer to identify his or her
behavioural preferences so that all our subsequent communication matches
his or her needs.
33

What is Behavioural Adaptability?
Behavioural Adaptability is having the will and
the skill to engage in a range of behaviours,
not necessarily characteristic of your own
behaviour preference, to deal effectively with the
requirements of a situation or relationship.
OH-34

Customer
Tension
Lower
Higher
Customer
Discomfort
Zone
Your Adaptability HigherLower
35

Customer
Tension
Lower
Higher
Customer
Discomfort
Zone
Your Adaptability
HigherLower
Customer
Discomfort
36

Customer
Tension
Lower
Higher
Customer
Discomfort
Zone
Your Adaptability
HigherLower
Customer
Comfort
37

OH-38
Green customers are outgoing, spontaneous, and
social people. They tend to be chatty and
gregarious. Be friendly while doing business with
Green customers and let them talk. For those who
don’t understand them, they can be seen as “time
wasters” and frivolous.
The biggest source of stress to a Green is rejection.
Don’t demand that a Green customer “get down to
business”: they will feel stifled. Instead, give them
choices and talk about how you’re going to help
them. Green customers want you to value them for
their ability to get things done - while having fun!
It’s how they naturally operate.
Green
Customer
Preferences

When you
communicate
with me
- Demonstrate mutual friendship
- Allow time for social conversation
- Let me express my ideas
- Don’t be rude or aggressive
- Use expressive or picturesque language
- Try to remain positive and upbeat
- Make me feel popular and entertaining
- Don’t ridicule me
- Keep the atmosphere friendly
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If you have a strong Green preference you can:
Reduce your need of approval from others - don’t be over friendly.
Be more open to facts and data.
Be better prepared and organised.
Listen carefully and take notes of what is being said.
Don’t over-promise.
Improving Adaptability
40

Blue
Customer
Preferences
Blue customers focus on the feelings and well-being of
those who work with them. They enjoy forming close,
trusting relationships. They want to hear your opinions
before making a decision. And they want everyone to get
on well together, including you. For those who don’t
understand them, they can come across as wishy-washy
approval seekers who ask too many questions.
The biggest source of stress to a Blue customer is conflict.
Don’t act impersonal with a Blue customer. Get to know
them and let them get to know you, and they will come to
trust you and become loyal customers. Blue customers
want you to value them for bringing harmony to even the
most unsettling workplace situations.
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When you
communicate
with me
- Be clear and explain details calmly
- Listen to me and demonstrate patience
- Give me time to understand and decide
- Explain the benefits of a proposal
- Give me time to adjust to change
- Give me an opportunity to speak
- Be supportive and understanding
- Get to the main point quickly
- Be agreeable and non-threatening
42

If you have a strong Blue preference you can:
Reduce your emphasis on resistance to new ideas and opportunities.
Be more assertive with your opinions.
Be quicker to adapt and show a willingness to be flexible.
Accept challenges and withstand challenging questions.
Be less sensitive to refusal or rejection.
43

Red
Customer
Preferences
Red customers are results-driven, fast-paced and know
what they want. They make decisions quickly and don’t
like to waste time. They want be in control, to get in,
get out, and get on with their business. For those who
don’t understand them, they can come across as rude,
arrogant and impatient. In reality, they are people who
take on a great deal of responsibility, enjoy challenges,
and strive to succeed.
The biggest source of stress to a Red customer is loss of
control. Get right to the point. Share solutions to their
problems and give them options. They want to know
“What will you do?” and “By when will you deliver?”
Red customers want you to value them for knowing
what they want and being quick to get things done.
44

When you
communicate
with me
- Focus on action based results
- Agree with objective facts
- Give me answers, not problems
- Be prepared to support your proposal
- Be factual and realistic
- Focus on the bottom line
- Listen carefully to what I say
- Get to the main point quickly
- Be brief and specific
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If you have a strong Red preference you can:
Reduce your need to be in control of discussions and situations.
Show that you are interested in the customer as a person.
Be less forceful - more patient and approachable.
Be more accepting and open to the views of others.
Show that your are listening – don’t interrupt.
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Gold customers are detail-oriented. They value
accuracy. Make sure to cross every “t” and dot
every “i” before expecting them to approve your
presentation. They will check out the facts, stats,
and research before making a decision. For those
who don’t understand them, Golds can be seen as
pedantic people who slow down progress. In
reality, they avoid rash decisions that might not be
in the best interests of their companies.
The biggest source of stress for a Gold is “getting
things wrong.” Don’t ask an Gold customer to
guess at anything. Instead say, “I’ll be happy to call
you when you have had an opportunity to study all
the details .”
Gold
Customer
Preferences
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When you
communicate
with me
- Provide the pros and cons for a proposal
- Give me time to analyse data thoroughly
- Don’t be emotional or too informal
- Don’t criticize my efforts
- Don’t change things for the sake of change
- Don’t break your promises
- Provide a logical, step by step presentation
- Be specific on points of agreement
- Provide me with accurate data in writing
48

If you have a strong Gold preference you can:
Reduce your emphasis on perfectionism.
Be more open-minded to new ideas.
Be more open to the views of others.
Simplify verbal presentations and ideas
Relax, show more optimism and empathy.
49

Align
Adapt
Focus
with the Process
to the People
on winning ‘Brain to
Brain’ communication
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Spot the
organisation’s
preference
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 Goals – Objectives
 Measurements
 Validity
 Technology
 Past trends
 Financials
 Quality – Perfection
 Policy
 Timing
 Control
 Resources
 Risk reduction
 Efficiency
 Methods - Regulations
 Long-term objectives
 Vision – Purpose
 National – World
 New concepts
 Future trends
 Environment
 Fashionable
 Personal development
 Culture – Values
 Communications
 Customer relations
 Community relations
 Teams – Relationships
 Learning - Development
Create a Value Proposition
52

Exercise
Sales Qualification Process
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When Qualifying
 Ask questions that uncover their vision
 Uncover their need for recognition
 Be tolerant of their casual use of time
 Ask questions that relate to their work and personal goals
 Adopt a slow, comfortable pace
 Uncover needs for support and service
 Uncover needs that relate to a business problem or issue
 Ask questions that are matter of fact
 Be prepared to be challenged
 Research the situation thoroughly before you meet
 Ask fact seeking questions
 Avoid small talk and personal references
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When Emailing/Writing
 Make solid references
 Be flexible and adapt to change
 Provide support to their ideas
 Use words like: we, you, us
 Share in their interests
 Demonstrate personal service
 Focus on action-based results
 Be factual and realistic
 Keep it brief
 Be objective and task orientated
 Make sure of all names and titles
 Focus on accuracy of information
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When Proposing/Presenting
 Provide testimonials from those they view as important
 Offer something value added or unique
 Appeal to their own esteem and status
 Propose solutions that will help people
 Show how you covered all possible situations
 Present a collaborative personalised approach
 Document options with pros and cons
 Be specific and factual – don’t overdo details
 Reinforce their perceptions of strengths and capabilities
 Recommend a specific course of action
 Be organised, systematic and precise
 Provide all your numbers
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When Negotiating
 Find common ground and shared vision
 Seek compromise
 Be proactive
 Be accommodating and helpful
 Work on any differences agreeably
 Avoid any contact
 Exchange what’s cheap for you and has value to them
 Challenge proposed outcomes
 Make commitments to get win/win
 Be factual and accurate
 Have a list of must haves and nice to haves
 Trade on the detail
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Personal Action Plans
58

Q and A session
59

www.davidmellormentoring.com
@mellormentoring
60

Nail the sale: Selling in B2B markets with David Mellor

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