Milestone Driven Selling is a consultative or “problem-solving” sales framework. In order to win the commoditization battle, we cannot rely on products alone to add value – we must begin solving the clients’ problems and adding value during the sales process itself – while they are engaged in their buying journey.
MDS breaks the buying process into six phases, with specific outcomes (milestones) required from each phase – in this way, it provides a framework for aligning the appropriate sales behavior to where the client is in their buying journey. The MDS organizing structure enables effective and efficient improvement of conversations, tools, and skills that add value and influence client thinking before the RFP is issued.
The first morning of the Milestone Driven Selling program focusses on understanding the fundamental shifts that have been underway in the market for the past ten plus years but that are accelerating exponentially now. These shifts are causing product commoditization – where revenue may be going up, but profits are going down. So people get to work harder but for less money.
The best way to avoid commoditization is to move to “problem-based selling” vs “product-based selling”. In other words, to help clients solve larger problems such as employee engagement, customer acquisition, and collaboration. This shift is not just a sales strategy – as it impacts sales, sales support, project management and installation.
The afternoon session and day 2 allow sales and design personnel to take a deeper dive into the mindset, skillset, and discipline needed to enter the market early, proactively change the conversation with end user and A&D partners and influence the problems that clients intend to solve.
Through interactive, case study-driven practice, teams call on five different influencers and buyers who need their space to matter. Patterned questioning, call planning, listening, hypothesizing, facilitating decision making are all skills that will be honed as we progress through the milestones of the buying process, ultimately ending in a pitch to earn the right to be the lead partner on a negotiated deal.
Understand fundamental shifts that have been underway in the market
How to avoid commoditization
Problem-based selling vs Product-based selling
Helping your clients solve their larger problems
Deep Dive into :
Mindset, Skillset and Discipline of Early Market Entry
Why and How to make the conversation proactive
Influencing problems your customers intend to solve
(C) 2016 Huron Associates
