Super Heroes…

When times get tough for salespeople, I like to seek out Subject Matter Experts for guidance on how to adjust to succeed.  I attended a SMM webinar recently featuring a SME I know, Kendra Lee.  Her premise was: 

Business Owners Are Spending Differently

·         Longer Decision Process

·         Tighter Budgets

·         Continued Challenges Reaching Decision Makers

·         More People Involved In The Decision Process

Her knowledge and experience are stellar.  I enjoyed her perspective and concepts but it left me with an “itch to scratch”.  Too much emphasis on defining the problem and not enough on what to do about it – specific, tactical, actionable, next steps. 

I hate to disagree with a SME (especially someone I know and respect) but… if we believe Business Owners are spending differently in 2024 I think we might consider… thinking again.  Business Owners and Executives have always been challenging to sell to.  The predominance of committee decision-making has always been an obstacle to overcome in B2B selling.  The old adage, “The more things change the more they stay the same.” may just be true, true? 

A copy of the webinar presentation was provided.  Conceptually sound and professionally designed, it just seemed to be missing something.  Then I remembered my favorite super hero… Batman! 

If you think about it, Batman is a super hero who does not possess super powers.  Unlike other super heroes, Batman is just ordinary Bruce Wayne by day.  OK – Bruce Wayne is rich.  But being rich doesn’t equal super-successful selling skills.  I got to thinking, “What would Batman do?” 

Bat Tools are the key to Batman’s super herodom.  If Bat Tools can transform ordinary Bruce Wayne into a super hero, maybe they can for us ordinary salespeople, as well.  Then I remembered… I have Bat Tools!  I’ve been using them throughout my sales career.  I’ve even shared one of those before; my Executive Attention Grid. 

The grid demonstrates how Business Owners prioritize their time and attention.  Align your products/services top-right and you’ll get the Business Owners’ attention; fall into the low-left and you’ll get delegated.  Delegated to committees with the ability to say, “No” but without the authority to say, “Yes”.  Sound familiar? 

I downloaded the sales and marketing planning template offered after the webinar.  Again, excellent concepts but it didn’t strike me as a Bat Tool.  Too conceptual; too incomplete; not specifically actionable,  Then I remembered… I have a Bat Tool for that! 

My “Ideal Target Prospect Profile” has 75 data elements to focus on.  (You can easily modify this Excel template with the data elements applicable to your products/services.)  At every prospect interaction fill in some of the blanks.  Gather enough data and you’ll quickly be able to tell if that prospect is worth prospecting. 

In sales, Bat Tools must be applicable to our real-world selling situations; able to accommodate our particular uniqueness; and they must be actionable.  Bat Tools are tactical.  When Batman is in the midst of some battle, there is no time for conceptual thinking. 

So if you’re concerned about whether you’re prepared to sell the way buyers are buying in 2024, I suggest the first place to look is at your inventory of Bat Tools.  If you don’t have any, email me.  I’ll send you two of mine;  the “Ideal Target Prospect Profile” and the “Executive Attention Grid”.  (I have others.) 

Now look up in the sky… it’s the Bat Signal… that’s your prospects calling.  Gather your Bat Tools and go get ‘em! 

                                                            GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.