In our previous blog post, we talked about how aligning marketing with sales is more than good teamwork — it’s an untapped goldmine.
How can you tap into that goldmine? How can you get your sales team to finally adopt the materials your marketing team creates?
It’s not about adopting materials. Really, you want them to adopt three things:
- A philosophy of selling on value instead of price
- A habit of pursuing opportunities instead of missing them
- A system of doing things cohesively instead of individually
Let’s take a closer look.
1. Adopt a philosophy of selling on value instead of price
Does your sales team still default to competing on price instead of value? That may work for hitting sales quotas, but you know it’s ultimately a race to the bottom. And it drives you crazy.
If your sales team relies on manufacturer sheets instead of true sales enablement playbooks, no wonder they’re selling on price. Manufacturer materials focus on product features, not the added value you bring as a distributor. If this is all your salespeople have, they will be order takers instead of valued consultants.
So, how do you help them adopt a philosophy of selling on value instead of price?
First, make sure they know what you mean: selling the value of doing business with your distributorship instead of a competitor. If they can get the same products elsewhere, why should they do business with you? How are you valuable to them as a business partner and consultant? Examples:
- Advising customers on the right/best product for their needs — even if it means spending less with you.
- Finding root causes of problems they’re experiencing — not just selling them band-aid solutions over and over.
- Explaining how some products have impact beyond their obvious function. For example, they might help the customer improve efficiency, reduce labor costs, enhance customer experience, etc.
- Helping them understand the concept of total cost of ownership. While they may spend more initially, in the long run, they’ll save money.
- Offering other services in addition to sales, like maintenance and repair, JIT inventory management, etc.
Make sure this approach is built into your company strategy. That it’s connected to your vision, mission, values, and standards. That it’s shared with every employee and every potential hire. And that it’s seen and heard on a regular basis. Convey clearly that this is what your company is about… and if you work here, you’re expected to be about it, too.
Reflect this philosophy in your marketplace positioning and communicate it to your target audiences. This way, value is their expectation when your reps come calling. And your reps will know that customers expect value from them.
Finally, help your salespeople understand why selling on value is better for them… better for the customer… and better for the business. Show them how increasing value to the customer also increases their value to your company.
As we’ve discussed in previous blog posts, what you say and how you say it matters. Your playbook needs to communicate advantages for the sales team.
Read that again.
That means your sales team shouldn’t have to ask why they need to adopt a habit of selling on value instead of price. It should be plainly stated.
And it needs to teach your sales team how to communicate advantages to the customer.
That means your playbook should show your sales team how to engage in value-based selling with the customer.
To help facilitate this shift, share success stories of how they could sell on value, not price. Make it a two-way dialogue.
This helps your sales team see value-based selling as a goal that benefits them, the customer, and the business. It turns every interaction into a chance to showcase value over cost.
2. Adopt a habit of pursuing opportunities instead of missing them
As a marketer, you understand your ecosystem of products and services, and how they play together. So, it can be frustrating when your sales reps overlook upselling or cross-selling chances.
Why does the sales team miss these opportunities?
I’m not going to lie to you. We could travel down several rabbit holes trying to find the right answer to that question. In reality, the “rightest” answer for your business may include a combination of the following reasons.
They don’t know who they’re talking to.
You sell to a person, not a persona. Not a business. A person.
Without insights into the customer’s needs, challenges, and goals, your reps might miss obvious opportunities. Understanding the person behind the business allows for more personalized — and more successful — upselling and cross-selling efforts.
Your sales enablement playbooks should help them ask the right questions. Include detailed client profiles and conversation starters. These tools guide your sales team to identify and seize opportunities they might otherwise miss.
You can also learn our customer-centric approach to know how to sell on value, not price.
If they can’t see it, they can’t sell it.
As a marketer, you are a content expert. So you already know that visuals can enhance content.
Help your sales team picture the potential. Use tools like diagrams, infographics, and videos so your reps can visualize and understand opportunities better.
Being prepared for opportunities increases confidence. And confidence sells.
Help them convince the customer.
Your salespeople may be afraid of customer pushback. They may think that attempting to upsell or cross-sell will annoy the customer or jeopardize the deal.
This fear can keep them from exploring and presenting better solutions.
To overcome this, your playbook should instill confidence in your reps by arming them with winning arguments. Give them the right tools to break down objections. Include case studies, calculators, and relevant stories.
This will help your sales team be more effective.
3. Adopt a system of doing things cohesively instead of individually
Imagine a world where you create a sales enablement playbook and it actually gets used. And not just one time, but over and over again. The result is consistency within your sales and marketing team. Did you just hear angels singing?
If you want your sales team to adopt a consistent system, your reps need these three things:
- A sense of ownership
- Peer models
- Constant reminders
When you engage your sales team, they feel a sense of ownership. They are more likely to feel invested in — and even enthusiastic about — using the playbook.
Success stories from their peers are powerful motivators. When your reps can see that their successful colleagues are using the approaches you’re encouraging, they’re more likely to trust them.
If you want consistent behavior, support your sales team with consistent reminders and reinforcement. Schedule regular refreshers on the playbook’s benefits, timely applications of the content, updates on new features or processes, and opportunities to practice new skills.
What to do next
- Talk to your sales team. Are they selling on value or price? Are they recognizing opportunities? Are they following a consistent process?
- Assess your sales enablement program. Look at your existing materials and strategies. Are they aligned with the principles of value-based selling? Do they help sales reps recognize and pursue opportunities? Do you have a system for ensuring consistency?
- Implement the changes. Develop playbooks that speak directly to your sales team. Engage with them during the creation process. Encourage collaboration.
Sales enablement success is an ongoing journey. Treat your sales team like your customers and address their unique needs and pain points. This helps them sell on value, not price; recognize opportunities; and execute consistently.
This will improve your sales outcomes and strengthen the alignment between your sales and marketing teams. There are those angels singing again…
Do you need some help implementing these strategies? By using the right messaging strategy for your customers, you can become more adept at how to sell on value, not price.
Related:
4 reasons marketing gets ignored by sales
How to make your message customer-centric
How to make your message clear