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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
Build strong connections to accelerate sales results In The Power of Value Selling: The Gold Standard to Drive Revenue and Create Customers for Life, sought-after trainer and sales leader Julie Thomas delivers an exciting new take on buyer-centric selling to modern buyers. In the book, you'll learn value-based selling techniques to become a trusted business advisor who instills confidence in buying decisions despite unpredictable business environments. This actionable guide to improved business conversations--ones that build trust and human-to-human connections--enables you to focus the sales conversation on value, instead of price, and identify business issues that create urgency to unlock new sales opportunities. You'll also find: * Strategies for selling to the C-suite, closing more business, expanding your sales footprint, managing global accounts and generating consistent renewal sales * Methods for building credibility and rapport with your buyers along with proven sales prospecting strategies to win time on their increasingly packed calendars * Ways to motivate buyers to take action and improve sales forecast accuracy through a repeatable opportunity qualification framework * Actions for aligning your revenue engine and enabling all of your customer-facing teams to improve the customer experience. An indispensable guide for seasoned revenue professionals and B2B sales leaders seeking to boost their real-world performance, deepen customer relationships and improve customer experience, The Power of Value Selling will also benefit early-career salespeople looking for practical sales strategies that work in competitive markets.
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Table of Contents
Cover
Praise for
Power of Value Selling
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Foreword—The Power of Value Selling: The Gold Standard to Drive Revenue and Create Customers for Lifeforeword
Introduction: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
I: Why ValueSelling, Why Now
1 Specialized Sellers, Exploding Sales Tech, Sophisticated Buyers (What's Changed)
Notes
2 How You Sell Is Just as Important as What You Sell
Notes
3 Modern Selling Is ValueSelling (Why Value Is Still Important)
Notes
II: Put the Pro Back in Sales Professional
4 People Buy from People: Building Credibility, Trust, and Rapport
Why Should I Listen to You?
Why Should I Believe You?
Why Should I Take the Next Meeting?
Measuring the Behaviors That Build Credibility, Trust, and Rapport
Notes
5 Think Like an Executive
Understanding Executive Prospects
Speaking an Executive's Language
Note
6 Mastering Sales Conversations: Asking the Right Questions, at the Right Time
Don't Question the Value of Good Questions
The O‐P‐C Questioning Technique
How to Use the O‐P‐C Questioning Technique
How to Use Anxiety Questions
How to Create Anxiety Questions
Sidestepping Common Pitfalls
Notes
III: Create Sales Opportunities You Can Win
7 Earn Time on Their Calendar
Mindset
Strategically Crafted, Multichannel Cadences
Picking Up the Phone
Social Selling
Emails That Get Opened
Video
Note
8 Uncover Business Problems Worth Solving
Timing Is Everything
Clarifying Initiatives and Issues
Connecting the Dots for Your Customers
Asking Questions
Being Curious
Getting into Your Prospect's Head
Making the Connection
Begin at the End
9 Eliminating No‐decision Opportunities and Improving Forecast Accuracy
The Four Questions for Efficient Qualification
Notes
IV: Enable the Buying Process
10 Reverse Engineering the Buying Process
Meet Buyers Where They Are
Your Solution
Is
Important
Notes
11 Speak Value to Power
Why Sell to the C‐suite?
Why Is Identifying the Ultimate Decision‐maker so Difficult?
Who Actually Has Power?
Gaining Access to Power
Notes
12 Handling Objections and Negotiating on Value, Not Price
Understanding Objections
Overcoming Objections
Negotiating Like a Chief Procurement Officer
V: Cement Customer Relationships
13 Land and Expand: Strategies for Account Penetration
Getting Started
Competitive Landscape
Leveraging Your Relationships
Note
14 Creating Brand Advocates and Customers for Life
Step 1: Demonstrating Your Commitment to Customer Success
Step 2: Identifying Why Customers Leave
Step 3: Leaning into Your Data
Step 4: Uncovering New Problems
When Things Go Wrong
Creating a Consistent CX Across the Entire Revenue Engine
Notes
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
End User License Agreement
List of Illustrations
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1 Measuring the Most Impactful Sales Behaviors
Figure 4.2 Communicating Meaningful Value to Buyers
Figure 4.3 Empathizing with the Buyer’s Position, Problems, and Goals
Figure 4.4 The Value of Intentional Questioning and Active Listening
Chapter 5
Figure 5.1 Cash Flow Statement
Chapter 6
Figure 6.1 The Most Impactful Prospecting and Qualifying Behaviors
Figure 6.2 The Value of Intentional Questioning and Active Listening
Chapter 7
Figure 7.1 Vortex Sphere of Influence™.
Figure 7.2 Vortex Sphere of Engagement™.
Figure 7.3 Calculating the Ideal Prospecting Volume.
Figure 7.4 Vortex Prospecting™ Simple Cadence Construction.
Figure 7.5 Building Account‐Based Sales Cadences.
Figure 7.6 Full Sample Sales Cadences.
Chapter 9
Figure 9.1 The Benefits of Eliminating No‐decision Opportunities.
Figure 9.2 Curating a Pipeline of Qualified Opportunities
Figure 9.3 The Qualified Prospect Formula.
Chapter 12
Figure 12.1 NegotiationPrompter
®
.
Chapter 13
Figure 13.1 High‐level White Space Analysis by Geography.
Guide
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Praise for Power of Value Selling
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Foreword—The Power of Value Selling: The Gold Standard to Drive Revenue and Create Customers for Life
Introduction: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
Begin Reading
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
End User License Agreement
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Praise for Power of Value Selling
“Julie is a brilliant innovator, teacher, and leader in the most critical skill needed for success: How to sell with integrity. Julie's book ensures you are prepared to overdeliver for the customer despite the economic, technological, and environmental factors driving change. Its customer‐centric approach puts the buyer at the core of every conversation. It guides the seller to proceed with the buyer to capture value, resulting in predictable, profitable growth. Having value selling as an integral part of your GTM initiatives is critical to your sales organization standing above your competitors. Generating scalable, profitable revenue takes a work. Make it easier by incorporating value selling in your sales process. It will be one of the best decisions you will ever make.”
—Tim Marken
Managing Partner, Leonidas Strategy Group
“The magic for B2B companies happens when sellers align with buyers' actual needs to deliver real value and career‐changing results. Julie teaches it in a way that is straightforward, arming readers with structure to apply in every customer conversation. The ValueSelling methodology distills the complexity of modern selling in a way that works for organizations of all sizes and across industries. Sellers benefit at any stage of their career. The ValueSelling framework up‐levels every interaction to naturally accelerate better outcomes and deliver big results. A salesperson transforms into a trusted advisor, new customers are set up for success, and lifelong, high‐value partnerships flourish. Whether you're looking to strengthen your sales skills or looking for a fresh perspective, this book is a fast‐paced read with powerful insights and actionable takeaways that can change your work right away. I've seen many millionaires made and powerful businesses built by embracing ValueSelling.”
—Michelle Allmond
Enterprise Sales Executive, Totango
“The fundamental lesson I teach to the students is when the value of the decision is greater than the risk, a sales person will have success. Value Selling teaches people how to find out what is important to an individual which then creates a map to create value. Once value confirmed with a prospect, the ability to win a sale is within reach. Julie's book, is an important and compelling read for anyone in the world of sales. With its practical strategies and real‐world examples, it offers a comprehensive understanding of how to achieve greater success in selling products, themselves or great ideas.”
—Follett Carter
Former EVP Sales & Marketing, Gartner Group Inc.
Director of the Sales Certificate Program
Stephen Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
“In today's landscape of selling, Sales and Enablement leaders need to transform their teams to the way that is focused on solutions, not products. Reps will have “a‐ha” moments that you will see right before your eyes. The effectiveness of value selling clearly originates at the top, with Julie. Her guidance, depth of knowledge, and means of tactically executing programs is some of the best I have seen in my career.”
—John Chinello
Senior Director, Sales Readiness, F5
“The concept is timeless, and it works. The Power of Value Selling delivers a fresh perspective on how modern buyers want to buy. It is a must‐read if you're interested in sales training and coaching.”
—Richard Eldh
Founder, Emeritus SiriusDecisions, Inc.
“ValueSelling Associates is the partner no sales organization should be without. The Power of Value Selling is a must read for all revenue professionals.”
—Zenita Henderson
Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer, Segra
“As educators, we are preparing students for the future of global business. The sales function is the engine that powers all business; if you are not successful in sales, your company won't last very long. The Power of Value Selling perfectly encapsulates selling with value. I will recommend this book to my students and colleagues.”
—Brian Higgins
Faculty, Leeds School of Business
University of Colorado Boulder
“Julie has an excellent grasp of what needs to happen to progress a buyer along their journey—from identifying their problems to evaluating their purchase of a solution. Ultimately, this book makes powerful conclusions: We must meet buyers where they are and demonstrate that the cost of inaction is much higher than the cost of moving forward.”
—Sebastien van Heyningen
President, Central Metric (SaaS)
“Technology permeates all facets of modern business. But how do you sell complex technology? Value‐based selling is ideal. Julie Thomas' book, The Power of Value Selling, is a value guide with actionable advice to accelerate your sales results.”
—Dan Holmes
Area VP/Financial Services, Dun & Bradstreet
“I highly recommend the book for anyone looking to improve their sales skills. Julie has successfully separated ValueSelling from the rest. Whether you're a seasoned leader, seller, or just starting out, this book offers valuable insights that can help you become more effective and successful.”
—Roderick Jefferson
Founding Member, Sales Enablement Society
CEO, Roderick Jefferson & Associates
“Julie Thomas shares valuable insights like, How we sell is just as important as what we sell, and How to negotiate on value not price. The ValueSelling methodology is designed to help you accelerate sales regardless of your product, service, or industry and regardless of how long you have been working in sales. The Power of Value Selling is an informative, fast‐paced book for any salesperson looking to elevate their game, stand out from the crowd and be more successful.”
—Kevin McHugh
Sales Capability Manger—APAC, Kimberly Clark Professional
“What you will learn in Julie's book is the critical importance of how buyers want to buy as opposed to how sellers want to sell. The framework effectively addresses this gap. A wonderful and brilliant read for sales leaders who want to truly dominate their space!”
—Bradford Speaks
CEO, of BeLegendary.Coach
“I have come across numerous books claiming to hold the secret to sales success. However, none have resonated with me as deeply as The Power of Value Selling by Julie Thomas. Thomas expertly lays out a comprehensive framework that revolutionizes the way we approach sales. She understands that true success lies in creating enduring relationships with customers, built on trust, mutual respect, and long‐term value creation. The book acts as a roadmap, guiding us through every step of the value‐selling and buying journey.
Thomas’ emphasis aligns perfectly with the modern sales landscape. Where customers are more informed than ever before, so traditional sales tactics fall short. “Value Selling” equips us with the tools and knowledge necessary to position ourselves as trusted advisors, providing tangible value and creating mutually beneficial partnerships.
This book is an invaluable resource for any sales professional in today's competitive market. Julie Thomas's expertise shines through, and her passion for empowering others is palpable. I wholeheartedly endorse this book and encourage anyone in sales watch their success soar.”
—Todd Quarfot
Former CSO, Primepay
VP, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Velocity Advisory Group
“Julie Thomas makes a compelling case that in today's market, customers are looking for more than just a product or service. They want a solution that delivers real value to their business. And as sales professionals, it is our job to demonstrate that to our customers. What I love about this book is how practical it is. From identifying customer pain points to crafting compelling value propositions, the book provides actionable advice that can be applied to any sales situation. You're a seasoned sales professional or just starting in the field, this book is packed with strategies that can help you succeed in today's competitive market. It truly is the gold standard for value selling.”
—Corey White
Founder and CEO, Cyvatar
“I am a fan! As a ‘bag carrying’ sales manager, I am able to see the quantifiable business results ValueSelling has been able to achieve. The approach offers a framework and tools that are practical and effective. While some competitors may be in the business of selling workshops, The Power of Value Selling is focused behavioral change that results in sustained sales improvement.”
—Joel Wecksell
Managing Partner, The Skills Connection
“Simple. Impactful. Relevant. Julie Thomas has created the definitive guide to building the business relationships that will result in predictable revenue growth. As more companies align their GTM motions around customer value, this practical playbook to sophisticated communication and human‐to‐human connection will become the standard for customer‐obsessed companies.”
—Melissa Widner
CEO, Lighter Capital
“The Power of Value Selling is an indispensable guidebook for sales professionals hoping to improve their results. With nearly half of buyers preferring an experience without reps, sales professionals need to adopt customer‐centric practices if they hope to succeed. Julie Thomas provides a thorough roadmap for making salespeople trusted business advisors for buyers. Thomas provides practical advice and real‐world examples that can assist sales professionals in today's complex B2B sales environment. I highly recommend this book to any reader interested in refining their selling approach and driving revenue growth.”
—Dale Robinette
Coach and Consultant
Master Chair, Vistage Worldwide
Scaling Up Coach (Verne Harnish)
“Julie Thomas is a renowned expert and has helped countless companies achieve significant growth. The Power of Value Selling is a must read for all revenue professionals. Julie teaches sales teams how to build deep relationships with customers, understand their unique needs and challenges, and communicate the value of their products or services in a way that resonates with their prospects. Her innovative approach to sales training that yields results, with emphasis on customer success, and thought leadership make her a valuable asset to any organization looking to transform their sales approach and drive growth. I highly recommend you buy her book, and put the principles into practice, and see your revenue results increase dramatically!”
—Sandra Yancey
Founder and CEO, eWomenNetwork
THE POWER OF VALUE SELLING
THE GOLD STANDARD TO DRIVE REVENUE AND CREATE CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE
JULIE THOMAS
Copyright © 2023 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission.
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ISBN: 9781394182589 (ePub)
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Cover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: Courtesy of Lorin Yeater
Author Photo: © eWomenNetwork, Inc.
To the world‐class ValueSelling Associates team and our clients.
Foreword—The Power of Value Selling: The Gold Standard to Drive Revenue and Create Customers for Life
The world of sales is changing, but not necessarily in the ways that you think.
Gartner recently reported, “In a survey of 725 B2B buyers… revealed that 72% of customers said they prefer a rep‐free experience, or completing their purchase without speaking to a rep at any point.”1
Does that surprise you? It probably shouldn't. If you have to speak with an agent while you're at the airport, it probably means you're having a bad day, right? When you order takeout and have to verbally order versus just doing it via app or online, that feels like work, right?
When you want to make a purchase for your business and find that you have to be “qualified” first and “discovered” second to even earn the right to speak with an “account executive,” that's where the 72% as Gartner pointed out grows to 98%. The average salesperson is a nuisance. The average salesperson is annoying. The average selling process is off‐putting. None of this should be considered news.
We've been hearing the four words “buyers know more nowadays” for over 100 years, followed by concerns regarding the future value of the sales professional.
Those four words, “buyers know more nowadays,” can first be found in Thomas Herbert Russell's 1912 book, Salesmanship. It was a time when the rise of catalogs, mail order, and advertising was seen as a threat to the selling profession. I would be willing to bet that 72% of customers preferred a rep‐free experience back then too!
As recently as 2015, “Forrester forecasts 1 million US B2B salespeople will lose their jobs to self‐service eCommerce by 2020, accounting for 20% of the B2B sales force.”2
In each case, the opposite happened. The profession grew, thrived, and continues to thrive—for those who see the threats and perceptions as an opportunity.
“Today, people are educated to so many wants, the instruments of advertising are so universal, the sense of comparative buying is so keen that truth and value have made selling a profession.”
This quote is from George S. Jones, Jr., who was the vice president of sales for a company called Servel, Inc. in 1947. It tells us all we need to know about why the future of sales and why what's written in the pages that follow presents an opportunity for you.
Let's re‐read that ending together again. “The sense of comparative buying is so keen that truth and value have made selling a profession.”
“Truth” and “Value.”
As it turns out, the proliferation of information and feedback on everything we do, buy, and experience hasn't made it easier for buyers to buy; it's made it harder! Buyers have countless opportunities to improve their business processes and outcomes but can only focus on a small number at a time. Which ones do they choose?
We, as human beings, don't make purchasing decisions when we're convinced. Or if we do, we're typically not very happy about it. We make decisions when we can predict. We are prediction machines. We are seeking a prediction of whether this purchase is worth my limited inventory of time, resources, and dollars. Will the juice be worth the squeeze versus the other opportunities to improve the business and our lives?
Truth: People cannot predict if they don't trust the source of the information they are using to inform said prediction.
Value: People prioritize other opportunities when the ability to predict is difficult to achieve, where there's too much information available, and the onus of homework is all on the buyer. Consensus selling is hard. Consensus buying is harder!
The buyer's prediction begins with the first interaction. Is this individual here to help me, or to sell me? With every interaction, we are either building trust, or eroding trust … it's rarely staying the same.
The original design of the sales profession was as a service profession. As Arthur Sheldon proclaimed in his 1911 book, The Art of Selling, “True salesmanship is the science of service. Grasp that thought firmly and never let go.”
The profession of sales will continue to flourish and, dare I say, rebuild its perception as a trusted and respected profession when we fully embrace the concepts of truth and value.
The ValueSelling Framework was the embodiment of those two words early in my leadership career, and continues to be today. Easy to understand and implement, it built confidence in my teams, allowing each individual to be a Sherpa to the buyer instead of a friction‐building necessary evil. Having a structure built on a bed of trust, designed to illuminate the true mutual value, paint the journey, and help the buyer predict led to considerably larger deal sizes, faster selling cycles, better qualification in (and out), and created an extra differentiator—differentiating in the way we sold.
Embrace the pages that follow, and embrace the words of Arthur Dunn in 1919:
If the truth won't sell it, don't sell it.
Truth and value. ValueSelling.
Todd CaponiAuthor and Speaker
Todd Caponi is the author of the three‐time best‐book‐award‐winning and international best‐seller, The Transparency Sale, and the new best‐selling book, The Transparent Sales Leader. Todd is a multi‐time C‐level sales leader, a behavioral science and sales history nerd, and has guided two companies to successful exits. He now speaks and teaches revenue organizations and their leaders on leveraging transparency and decision science to maximize their revenue capacity as Principal of Sales Melon LLC.
Notes
1.
Gartner. (n.d.).
Gartner says adaptable sales organizations must rethink their customer understanding, engagement and operating models
[online]. Available at:
https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-05-17-gartner-says-adaptable-sales-organizations-must-rethink-ther-customer-understanding-engagement-and-operating-models
.
2.
Forrester. (n.d.).
One million B2B sales jobs eliminated by 2020
[online]. Available at:
https://www.forrester.com/press-newsroom/one-million-b2b-sales-jobs-eliminated-by-2020/
[Accessed 5 May 2023].
Introduction: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
Selling value is more important today than it was even 16 years ago when I published my first book, ValueSelling: Driving Sales Up One Conversation at a Time. While quite a bit about selling is still as true today as it was in 2006, a significant transformation has also occurred.
Value is how people decide what to buy. It is the foundation for justifying the expenditure, the essence of how people answer the question, Is it worth it?
The most intriguing thing about value is that it's personal. Each of us makes buying decisions, based on our point of view and opinion of what is significant and relevant. Two people can make the same decision on what is valuable and have two completely different explanations regarding how they came to that conclusion.
Let's get this out of the way first: Selling value is not the same as understanding your value proposition. Of course, having a value proposition is important if your business is going to thrive. Your value proposition is your broad promise to the marketplace of where you can have a positive impact on their business. It's typically on a macro level: We save you time and money. Selling value is taking that generic promise and quantifying it for a specific organization and individual: How much time we will save you. How much money we can save you. Do you, the buyer, believe and agree that savings is attainable? With these pieces in place, a sales professional can then find out if that quantified savings is enough to motivate the prospect to change.
Understanding how your customer defines value is the foundation of this book—and value isn't merely about cost. As a buyer, I've been asked, If this were free, would you implement it? It's a thought‐provoking question, and my answer is typically, No. Because even if a solution is free, it still requires me to spend time and energy to get it up and running with in‐house management or an outside provider or change to a new paradigm to solve problems that were previously assumed to be unsolvable.
To sell change, you need to understand the why behind the buy and understand the customer's thought process.
▪ ▪ ▪
For as long as there has been commerce, there have been buyers, and there have been sellers. Sales is a profession based on effective communication. Communication is more than presenting, pitching, or educating a prospect on what you do and why they should consider doing business with you. It's listening, making connections, storytelling, being relevant, and adding value to all the people involved in the process.
Since 2006, quite a bit has changed. Digital transformation was the foundation of that change. Another obvious change is the pandemic that hit in 2020, where virtually every sales professional around the globe had to redefine their approach and gain new skills. We lost the luxury of establishing relationships by being together and sharing experiences. Sales reps who depended on face‐to‐face meetings to build relationships and establish trust had to find a new way to achieve that objective. Sales executives who had always worked in a tech‐enabled office with lots of colleagues, infrastructure, and community quickly had to adapt to a work‐from‐anywhere environment that did not afford the ease of collaboration and strategizing.
And it worked. We overcame it. We adapted. We pivoted, learned new skills, and used new technology. We became comfortable with our onscreen selves.
Buyers have also changed. How they buy has changed. What they expect has changed. It is imperative the sales rep change as well.
The prevalence of information available to buyers has impacted the way they buy and their expectations of sales professionals. No longer does the prospect have to meet with the seller to glean information about the products and services. The salesperson no longer controls the flow of information or even the source of information to the prospect. The prospect selects the sources and how and when they consume that information.
Complexity also has increased for buyers. The options and alternatives are vast, and it's difficult for the buyer to determine the nuanced value‐add between various suppliers. If you don't believe me, look at your top competitors' websites and see if you can tell the difference between your offering and theirs. It's mind‐boggling for buyers who have to navigate the conflicting—yet eerily similar—marketing messaging and approaches of the various vendors in any given space.
The number of people involved in most buying decisions has increased. With that increase, communication, collaboration, and consensus is more complex than with a single point of contact or decision‐maker.
You can't overlook the role of technology—it has completely changed how sales reps prepare, execute, and follow up with individuals who are potential prospects for their products and services. Our buyers are bombarded with requests for demos and 10‐minute meetings in the chance that maybe, just maybe, there might be a way to work together in the future. In some cases, the messaging from sales professionals is so bad that the communication actually hurts them as opposed to helping them.
Don't get me wrong: Technology absolutely has a role in sales. It allows you to automate mundane tasks. It allows you to accelerate tasks, amplify messaging, and enables you to analyze what is happening and shape future decision‐making for the better. Technology also reduces the nonselling activities sales professionals have hated, complained about, or just flat refused for years. It's foolish to argue against the advancements in efficiency that sales tech provides—but efficiency alone won't change our results. We need to be effective.
There is one thing that sales tech cannot do: It cannot replace the magic that happens when a human connection is made.
Let's face it: If sales technology could solve the sales productivity problem that many organizations face today, that problem would have been solved a long time ago.
▪ ▪ ▪
I've written The Power of Value Selling: The Gold Standard for Driving Revenue and Creating Customers for Life to explore one simple fact: the idea that how we sell is just as important as what we sell.
This book is based on practical experience and application we've gleaned by working with hundreds of thousands of sales professionals in thousands of organizations around the globe to improve the efficacy of their selling motion.
There is no question that organizations that deploy a consistent selling motion across their entire revenue organization outperform those that don't. This book will give you a behind‐the‐scenes glimpse into the best practices that leading sales organizations around the world adopt to ensure their sales professionals are as effective as humanly possible.
Leading ValueSelling Associates for the past 20 years has taught me a number of lessons. One of the most profound is that change is hard. While many may want change, they don't want to be changed. However, we must change to survive. One of the key traits of any sales professional today is adaptability and agility.
This book isn't merely for account executives and sales leaders—everyone sells. Yes, everyone! If you speak with prospects or customers, you are a part of the revenue team or sales, whether it is in your title or not—the customer doesn't care about your title. When speaking with anyone, there is an opportunity to either contribute to or contaminate the perception of your company.
If you are part of the revenue engine for your company or want to be, this book is for you. The tactics and processes described in this book are for all business‐to‐business (B2B) professionals. B2B is not limited just to commercial enterprises. If you sell to any organization, you are a B2B sales professional. That includes, for example, government, health care, not‐for‐profit organizations, professional organizations, and education.
This book covers the entire life cycle of a revenue team, from creating prospects out of suspects to developing and qualifying opportunities to closing and delivering measurable outcomes—I'll also walk you all the way through upsell and renewals. Yes, I'll address the process in stages, but you have to remember that this is not a linear process. It's a circular and iterative cycle that creates a complicated puzzle that you need a framework for managing.
I've divided this book into five sections. In the first part, we'll dive into what's changed and how our discipline has adapted. Part II will address what you, the sales professional, must do in this fast‐paced world. In Part III, we'll look at filling the revenue funnel and creating winnable opportunities, and Part IV will cover how to advance and close these opportunities in this new environment. Finally, in Part V, I'll disclose all the secrets you'll need to create raving fans who are customers for life.
If your objective is to be a world‐class sales professional or to lead a sales organization of world‐class sellers, this is the only guide you'll need. It's pragmatic and focused on actionable best practices that generate immediate and sustainable sales results.
– Julie Thomas
IWhy ValueSelling, Why Now
1Specialized Sellers, Exploding Sales Tech, Sophisticated Buyers (What's Changed)
Within 7 minutes of meeting Natalie, you say more than you intended. Don't get me wrong—you haven't caught yourself reciting your Social Security number or disclosing a long‐hidden phobia; you have discussed a personal or business piece of information that you would not normally tell most new business acquaintances. Don't worry; Natalie isn't a grifter. She's a sales professional specializing in enterprise‐level SaaS sales.
Natalie is one of these magnetic people you immediately connect with, one who seems to unconsciously solicit crucial information from simple, well‐timed questions, listens with intent, and effortlessly gets to the heart of the matter. She's also becoming obsolete.
According to Gartner, sales will see the death of data entry and the rise of synthetically generated sales outreach and machine customers—all within the next 5 years.1
What does this mean?
It means it's not difficult to picture a future where the most time‐consuming tasks of a seller's day become automated: Data capture is instantaneous; sales cadences and content are optimized using digital representations of prospects; buyers use automated procurement processes.
Now, what happens if we take this one step further?
It's not hard to imagine a future where personal and professional data are compiled to create and feed alarmingly accurate digital twins of business‐to‐business (B2B) buyers. In this reality, outreach and marketing campaigns are tested against a sophisticated data warehouse containing every interaction from prospects and buyers who fit the same customer profile. Then, assuming some manual intervention is needed, the salesperson merely follows the AI‐prescribed actions and scripts to the deal's conclusion.
Yes, this is creepy—to say the least. And a slew of privacy and ethical considerations need to be confronted along the way. However, it's not out of the question that the sales world of the 2030s will resemble this hypothetical reality.
You have to ask yourself: Is the long‐prophesized death of the salesperson imminent?
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Let's step back and look at how we got here. To fully understand the modern B2B buyer—and why most would rather watch paint dry than engage with your outreach cadences—we have to first understand the underlying mechanisms that introduce friction into the buying process.
Specialized Sellers
When I first started out in sales, there were two roles: hunter/farmer or finder/minder. Most of us cold‐called, identified opportunities, worked those opportunities until we won or lost, and we were responsible for handling the renewal. Although, the system worked—it was also horribly inefficient.
This revelation ushered in an era of specialization with hyper‐focused selling roles: sales development representatives (SDRs) for creating new opportunities, account executives (AEs) for converting those opportunities into new business and logos, sales engineers for showing the capabilities of your solution, and customer success and post‐sales engineers for managing the implementation and ensuring customers received the expected value. And that is just the beginning.
It's a tremendous system, on paper.
The reality tends to play out differently. You're talking about hundreds of touchpoints across the life cycle of a single contract. And to maintain a consistent customer experience, each of those touchpoints must contain all of the relevant customer information for a given action. If you ever played the game “telephone” in elementary school, you know salient points get lost whenever information is transferred, and the more transfers you have, the bigger the distortion. This is the best‐case scenario.
