| Winning complex new business requires a | | | | facilitates uncovering of strengths, it also helps |
| disciplined strategy, especially when the market | | | | you identify your risks. |
| tightens. By using a systematic approach, business | | | | Whilst we may be happy to highlight our |
| developers can increase the flow of opportunities | | | | strengths, we are not so naturally motivated to |
| and identify which specific actions will close the | | | | be as explicit about our risks. Nevertheless, this is |
| deal. | | | | a critical step in the systematic process. Risks can |
| When times are good, the very thorough | | | | include any of the following: |
| systematic approach can seem unnecessary. | | | | - A decision maker that has not been contacted |
| However, long-term high-level performance in | | | | by you or your team |
| business development is not just about posting | | | | - A decision maker who is known to: |
| the easy wins, but doing the business in hard | | | | - Not support your proposal |
| times too. | | | | - Doesn't want to change from the status quo |
| Easy wins are usually the result of silver bullets | | | | - Supports a competitor's proposal |
| like a market-beating competitive advantage or a | | | | Uncertainty of the motivations of any of the |
| very strong personal relationship with a powerful | | | | decision makers |
| buying influencer. Of course, these are great | | | | A lack of alignment amongst the decision makers |
| strengths to have on your side and our | | | | A strong competitor |
| systematic approach strongly supports the | | | | Being invited into a bidding/tendering process late |
| practice of identifying and leveraging strengths. | | | | in the process |
| However truly top sales performers know how | | | | Poor past performance |
| to win even without these advantages and when | | | | Barriers to the deal within your organisation |
| nobody expects success. We have identified four | | | | Stakeholders external to your client and your |
| key elements in our systematic approach to | | | | organisation who will have influence and who's |
| winning new business regardless of the market | | | | attitudes and/or decision makers are unknown |
| conditions. | | | | 4. Capitalise on your strengths and minimise |
| 1. Develop a big picture | | | | remove your risks |
| As you develop a strategy for moving an | | | | At this point in the systematic approach, you can |
| opportunity down the funnel, you need to have a | | | | now plan to use your strengths to their best |
| big picture of your target's current situation. The | | | | advantage. The weakness of the silver bullet |
| best option is to use a framework that displays all | | | | approach is that the developer tends to overlook |
| the key data in a single view. This data will include: | | | | strengths that are not singularly strong enough to |
| - The key decision maker | | | | win the deal. So the search for the silver bullet |
| - The people involved in making the buying | | | | continues and lesser strengths that could |
| decision | | | | otherwise be deployed are left on the table. Our |
| - The key components of your offer | | | | systematic approach says that having uncovered |
| - How they view your proposal | | | | a strength, it should be put to use. |
| - Their interests in your opportunity | | | | Risks can suffer a similar fate. Your big picture |
| - The current level of appetite for change | | | | overview is not intended as a repository of |
| - The names of your supporters and detractors | | | | information. It exists to facilitate the identification |
| - The names of your competitors for this | | | | of risks so that you can take steps to minimise |
| opportunity | | | | or remove them. |
| - The names of those supporting your | | | | As the opportunity moves down your funnel, you |
| competitors | | | | expect to see a lessening of risks and the use of |
| 2. Identify your strengths | | | | and in many cases the creation of new strengths. |
| Once the big picture is developed, you need to | | | | Inevitably, your probability of winning improves. |
| uncover all of your strengths. These are the | | | | Advantages of using the Sales Schematics |
| advantages you have in moving this opportunity | | | | systematic approach |
| forward. Some will be unique to you. | | | | Our systematic approach involves the progressive |
| Many of your strengths may not be a market | | | | and disciplined removal of risks and the planned |
| beating silver bullet individually, but collectively and | | | | deployment of strengths. |
| if used to their full advantage, they can make all | | | | Once you become skilled in the execution of the |
| the difference. Strengths can include: | | | | systematic approach, you become more efficient |
| - A better solution | | | | in your selling and less reliant on silver bullets and |
| - A price/cost advantage | | | | strong personal relationships. Your silver bullet |
| - Strong personal relationships | | | | becomes your ability to analyse and create |
| - Unique aspects of your offer | | | | winning business development strategies based on |
| - Being the party that opened up the discussion | | | | what you have to work with. These strengths |
| - Strong corporate/market credibility | | | | are internal and hard for your competitors to |
| - Strong personal credibility | | | | emulate. They are available to you for every new |
| - A deep understanding of the buying influencer's | | | | business opportunity. |
| motivations | | | | We are not diminishing the value of silver bullets |
| 3. Identify your risks | | | | or strong personal relationships, but you must |
| Risks to winning new business come in many | | | | create a strategy to win when you find yourself |
| forms. In the same way that a big picture | | | | without them, or when times are tough. |