BizDev &a= mp; Sales Process & Training Manual (Version 1.0)
Table of
Contents
2.3
Know the Competitive and Collaborative Landscape.
2.4
Understanding the the_company Verticals.
2.4.1
Understanding the Corporate Banking Vertical
2.4.2
Understanding the M-Business Vertical
2.4.3
Why Sell through verticals?
2.4.4
Reality Selling – Broad-Based Sales.
3.1
Handling E-mail Leads originating from the the_company Website
3.1.1 Responding to a Request for Product
Suite Information
3.1.2
Responding to Requests for Licensing Information.
3.1.3
Responding to Questions About Pricing.
3.1.4
Responding to Questions about Services.
3.1.5
Responding to Requests for Technical Support
3.1.6
Responding to Complaints
3.2
Handling E-mail Leads Originating from the_company Campaigns
3.3
Handling Referrals from Other Clients.
3.4
Handling Incoming Phone Calls
4.1
The Lifecycle of a Sales Pitch
4.2
Understanding The Corporate Banking Pitch.
4.3
Understanding the M-Business Pitch.
4.4
Understanding the Broad-Based Pitch.
4.7
How to Deal with Cost Concerns
4.8
How to Deal with Security Concerns.
4.9
How do you deal with Competition?.
5.1
Shaping What the Customer Wants
5.2
How to Gather Requirements
5.3
How To Judge Project Feasibility.
6.1
How to Write a Proper Proposal
6.1.1
What must be included in the proposal?.
6.1.1
Authorization and signing of proposals?.
6.2
How To Generate Visios and Matrices.
7. Handing Over a Signed
Project
7.1.1
What do I tell the client?
7.1.2
What happens to the information saved on the network?.
7.1.3
What happens to the Blue Manila Folder?.
8. Client Relationship
Management
8.1
Mid Project Relationship Building.
8.2.1
What are ‘additional works’
8.4
Getting Client Success Stories and the Good News.
9.2
Saving Thing on the Network
9.6
How Train New Sales Teammates
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; 1. Introduction
Welcome to the the_compan= y sales team. As part of the initiation procedure it is essential that you read the following Sales S.O.P. The th= e_company sales S.O.P. will serve as a guide for you to learn about how sales requests are executed within this company and how to perform these procedures.
Please note that the best= way to understand how each of these processes work is to practice them in the ‘real world’ again and again and again.
As such, as part of your = training you will be scheduled to spend time with our sales executives on a daily ba= sis to learn ‘By Example In Real Situations’..
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = 2. Preparing for S= ales
The sales process starts = long before you talk to any potential clients.&= nbsp; the_company is positioned as a premium technology specialist – sort’ve like the BMW of software.&nb= sp; We build really complex stuff really fast and really well. We also c= ost more than the average technology vendor, but we are worth the investment ma= ny times over.
As such, and because you represent the company in the field, you must come across as a premium sales person.
This means that you need = to be extraordinarily prepared, more so than you would have to be in other compan= ies. In order for you to be nimble enough to make sales of a premium product, you must have all the facts and be able to use those facts creatively to meet <= i>and shape your potential customer’s requirements.
Over promising – Mo= st of us are bound to say just about anything to close a deal. You need to remember though that t= he client will remember everything that you promise, your actions could cause significant problems with the project for your developers, project managers= and relationship between the_company and the client. Never make any promises you = are unsure of just to close the deal, if you promise something we cannot deliver, your sale could cause us money!
So what do you need to kn= ow?
2.1 Know the Produ= cts
For one, you must know yo= ur product line.
In some cases, you may ne= ed to know the products so intimately, that you can be able to determine if our products could or could not evolve quickly to meet a customer requirement t= hat is not what you had first expected.
Knowing the products mean= s that you need to do a lot of research that will involve reading sales brochures, talking to developers and project managers, and talking to exiting clients.=
For each product, you nee= d to know exactly
- What it is?
- What problem it solves (for the client)?
- What features does it have?
- What is the “basic” technical architecture?
- What are the minimum System Requirements?
- Who is currently using it and what are they using= it for?
- How much it would cost to implement (including wh= at else they need to buy from other vendors like hardware vendors)
- How long it should take to implement.
- How it might be expanded to meet the requirements= of your potential customer. Is such an expansion even possible? Could two or more products be integrated to meet the requirements?
Honestly, this process of learning your products never ends. <= /span>
the_company is a company committed to the development of new, cutting-edge technology. As a result, = your product line will forever be in flux. Advancements to existing technology will be ongoing, as will the development of new technology.
You should be constantly re-researching the product line to stay up to date with the technology team= s. Your commission, and the future of the company, depends on it.
2.2 Know the Busin= ess Domain
Because we sell a premium service, the customer must feel deeply at ease with us. The most important way to guarante= e this is for you to master the ability to speak the jargon, know the gossip, and understand the business and technology of the customer.
Of course, there are reas= onable limits. You needn’t be a corporate banker to sell into corporate banking. But you certainly should be able to talk the talk.
These customers want to k= now that you understand their complex domain. Because if you don’t, they will = know (or believe) that you will not be able to provide premium technology to sup= port them.
Knowing the domain means = a lot more research.
You should be constantly = reading industry rags (such as the Asian Banker in the case of banking customers), talking to industry players, attending industry events. You should also be reading general= news and thinking about how it applies to the specific domain.
You can
gather your market research in a number of ways:
- Newspapers
- Internet news/journals
- Friends (Especially if you have friends in that
particular industry)
- Colleagues in the_company or former colleagues
- Government Bodies
- Research Organizations (i.e. Forrester etc.)
You should be doing this = in the office and out of the office. You should live your sales market.
YOU SHOULD ALSO BE WRITIN= G DOWN WHAT YOU LEARN AND SHARING IT WITH THE REST OF THE TEAM THROUGH PROGRESS REPORTS.
Again, just as was the ca= se for you products, the domain landscape will be in continual flux. Thus, your research can never end. You m= ust stay up to date at all times.
You know that developers = are always reading books on the latest technology and attending seminars and certification trainings on all that nerdy tech stuff, right? You are no different. You are expected to be honing your skills constantly. This is the differentiator between a good sales person and a broke one.
2.3 Know the Compe= titive and Collaborative Landscape
Further, you must to unde= rstand your competitors. You must to understand how to position yourself in relation to the competitors in the m= ind of the potential customer. Yo= u must know how to convince the customer that their strengths are not all that important and their weaknesses are critical! In order to do that, you need to k= now their strengths and weaknesses intimately.=
You also need a deep appr= eciation for what your competitors’ products do in relation to yours.
For every competitor, you= should know:
- Who they are?
- What they sell?
- Who are their key clients and what are their verticals?
- How big are they?
- What are there weaknesses?
- What are there strengths?
You should be constantly
researching them as they will change just as fast as us. Our competitors are out there, and you will meet them=
at
events, job tenders etc. The people you will be talking to would most likel=
y be
sales consultants like yourself. &nbs=
p;
If you meet any vendor at an event, you should take the opportunity =
to
talk to them about their current focus, strategy etc. it is during this low-key period w=
here
you can milk some information out of them.=
Do it subtly, maintain your cool.&n=
bsp;
They will probably be doing the same.
When you go for large IT = events, the key players will probably be participating. You should take the opportunity to collect brochures. Their broc= hures will tell you a lot about them, like their products, verticals, strategy etc. So remember to get those brochures!
Most competitors will als= o have websites. Of course one of th= e best sources for “Real” information are the clients themselves. Take the time to get to know (AND = USE) our clients.
Of course, it is not just= about competition. There are a myri= ad of related companies who do not compete with us, but who service the exact same customers. It is incumbent upon you to learn, meet, schmooze these companies and to create sales channels for yourself through them.
2.4 Understanding = the the_company Verticals
the_company has two market verticals that determine which accounts you should target for sales. The two verticals are:
- Corporate Banking within the Financial Services Industry (FSI)
- Telecommunications/M-Business
2.4.1 Understanding the Corporate Banking Vertical
Actually, the FSI market = is immense and includes such sub-verticals as Insurance, Retail Banking, Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, Wealth Management, and others.
The FSI market is also on= e of the most complex, in terms of business rules and technology as well as one of t= he markets boasting the deepest pockets.
Within this vertical, the= _company focuses on Corporate (Business) Banking.&n= bsp; We are positioned as a middleman, sitting between businesses on the = one side, and banks on the other. Our strength is in embedded corporate banking services where we extend traditio= nal corporate banking facilities like Trade Financing or Treasury beyond the wa= lls of the banking institutions and into the business applications themselves. = To a certain degree, we represent a new type of middleware….the middleware between organizations.
2.4.1.1 Why the Corporate Banking Vertical?
We have chosen this verti= cal because of all the banking customers, corporations are the MOST willing to = pay for services. Thus, it is easier for us to guarantee to our clients a retur= n on their investment.
Further, corporate bankin= g is the hardest in terms of processes and business rules. Because the_company excels at the = hard stuff, we are very good in this domain. In fact, we shine.
Finally, because the doma= in is hard, there are fewer competitors to battle against.
The retail and investment= banking markets, on the other hand, are rife with competition, have simple business rules, and promise very little returns.
2.4.2 Understanding the M-Business Vertical
M-business i=
s a
fast growing segment of the wireless/ telco market. Diagram 1 shows the
differences between the differet terms used in connection to wireless and
mobile business.
![](3D"sales_sop_06aug2002_files/image002.gif")
diagram
1
Many telcos =
are
finding that to compete in this environment, they must to compete intensely=
for
the attention of their present, and also potential customers. This demograp=
hic
group are the young, mobile professionals, or the consumer crowd, with very
short attention spans, and a constant appetite to embrace new gimmicks and
innovative things, such as MMS, mobile-bidding, mobile gaming and local-bas=
ed
messaging etc.
To capture and lock-in their attention, telcos must to spend more ti= me to create and innovative, new marketing gimmicks and ideas. As a consequenc= e, less time is available in-house to take care of the web-based and mobile infrastructure technologies to enable such ideas. Here is where the_company comes in. With a proven track record of helping many of our clients e-enable (and m-enable) their business processes, the_company has the necessary doma= in expertise in the telco industry to do just that.
2.4.3 Why Sell through verticals?
That the_company sells th= rough verticals is one of the most important sales decisions that we have made as= a company, and is a cornerstone of our sales and marketing strategy.
Understanding this is key= to understanding how you will successfully sell the_company products.
The reason that we have c= hosen to sell through verticals is twofold.
First, as mentioned earli= er, we have a premium product that requires a premium-product sales and marketing strategy that is very research intensive and requires a lot of investment in time.
Second, we have very limi= ted resources.
In other words, given 1) = the amount of work it takes for the sales, marketing, and technology teams to prepare and sell premium solutions to customers, and given 2) the number of staff we currently employ, it would be impossible to target more than a few markets at any one time.
Not only does it fray our over-worked technology teams, but targeting too many markets at once will m= ean that you, as a sales person, will not have the time nor the ability to perf= orm adequate research.
As a result, and this has= been proven time and time again, your sales pitch will be poor and the competito= rs, who are focused, will eat you alive and make you look naive.
2.4.3.1 Defining Verticals
Actually, = it is important to note that the development of the the_company verticals has bee= n a long process of trial and error. We have actually gone through multiple verticals with varying levels of success. Developing a new ver= tical is always a long process with many ups and downs.
When choos= ing a new vertical, we try to consider…
· A customer base that has a problem we can solve
· Existing Competency – Some in o= ur team already have experience and track record.
·
· Easy Technology Metamorphosis –= Our technology can quickly adapt to the requirements of the new vertical. For example, the requirements of r= etail Banking would not be all that different from Corporate Banking.
·<= span style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> = Synergy – Taking two of our existing verticals and merging them. For example, the m-business vertical c= ame out of our ISP2ASP vertical merged with our corporate banking vertical.<= o:p>
·<=
span
style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> =
A customer base that can afford our solut=
ion
2.4.4 Reality Selling – Broad-Based Sales=
Of course, we are also a pragmatic sales organization. In tough times, beggars can’t be choosers and during difficult days, we = have allowed the sales team to target a broader base of clients for short period= s of time.
Broad-based sales is made possible because the AppFactory technology is nimble enough to handle almost any market environment.
Of course, you must know = how “ready” the prospects are, both personally and organizationally= to move ahead with the purchase process. Sometimes this is a gut feeling, and at other times you have solid evidence and know that the client is ready to spend. If you do not know whether they are ready to move ahead, just go ahead and talk to them and ask them where they stand in regards to the project at hand.&n= bsp; People like to be listened to and would be likely to tell you their position.
There are four main wa=
ys to
make your client ‘Do Something’ are:
- Create Fear – It is always simple for pe=
ople
to sit down and do nothing. If
you can alert your client to the potential negative consequences of
inaction, then you will be doing them a favor. Eg. Providing information about w=
hat
their competitors are doing to get ahead of the game.
- Re-create the Pain – People can always
remember how the ‘pain’ of past events. As such, a great way to get t=
hings
moving is by re-creating the ‘pain’ and showing them how t=
hey
can avoid it.
- Focus on the Real Issue – Once you have determined that the client is actually facing a problem, then focus on it. Provide them with a solution that addresses the issue and concentrate your efforts there.<= o:p>
- New Solution to an Existing Problem – If=
you
can find a ‘new’ solution to a problemthat has been plagui=
ng
your clients, then you would have inadvertently put your foot in the
door. Eg. For years, your client has be=
en
having problems monitoring the movements of staff, your ‘newR=
17;
solution – the the_company WebCal. The Web
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = = &nb= sp; 3. Lead Generation
3.1 Handling E-mail Leads originating from the the_company Website<= /span>
Quite a
few sales leads (about 5-20 a day) come in from the web via the sales@the_company.com email alias. I=
f you
are receiving e-mail from this account, you should always respond to the cl=
ient
politely and promptly.
Though
the person who sent the email might not be a paying client now, it is vital
that we make their experience as pleasant and as useful as possible.
Even if he or she may not be a customer now, they could easily become a fut=
ure
customer or refer us to a future customer.=
The main idea behind this is that you follow through from beginning =
to
end with them, making them feel important.
The
normal query is usually about one of the following:
- Product suites – Users frequently ask
questions about our Portal-in-a-Box, eCommerce Suite and Instant Intra=
net
Suite. The questions are
usually about cost and if they are downloadable free.
- Technical Support – Sometimes users =
will
inadvertently send technical support queries to sales@the_company.com.
- Complaints – Users will send in
complaints about error messages they receive when installing applicati=
ons
- Pricing – Since we do not state pric=
ing
on the Web Site, users constantly send in queries about pricing, licen=
sing
and development charges.
- Services – User sends request about =
the
services we offer.
3.1.1&= nbsp; Responding to a Request for Product Suite Information<= /a>
Our
standard response is that the product suites are currently available to our
South East Asian Clients only. You
should tell them, however, that most of the individual applications can be
downloaded for free at http://www.the_company.c=
om/applications.html.
Sample
E-mail:
Dear xxxxxx,
Thanks for your intere=
st in the_company's
applications.
Currently, the_company=
's web
solutions for business (including the Portal-In-A-Box suite) are offered as
custom integrated applications for clients in
That said, our product=
suites
are built from our Open Source products that can be individually downloaded=
for
free at
Please feel free to co=
ntact me
if you have any other questions.
Regards,
xxxxxx
Business Development
yourname@the_company.c= om
3.1.2 Responding to Requests for Licens= ing Information
Licenses for most software are designed to take away your
freedom to share and change it. By contrast, the GNU General Public License=
is
intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free software--to ma=
ke
sure the software is free for all its users. This General Public License
applies to most of the_company’s software and to any other program wh=
ose
authors commit to using it.
When we speak of free software, we are referring to free=
dom,
not price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you h=
ave
the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for this serv=
ice
if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, th=
at
you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and t=
hat
you know you can do these things.
Details of our download license can be found at: =
http://www.the_compa=
ny.com/scripts/download.html
So what do you need to tell the users in regards to
licensing?
You can tell them that they are free to download our
applications and the source code is for their ‘personal’ use
only. They are not allowed to=
sell
the applications by themselves or as part of a larger product.
The us= er can distribute our ‘free’ applications as they wish, edit the applications and charge for this service.&= nbsp; You should also make certain that the user understands that there is no warranty for our ‘free’ applications.
3.1.3 Responding to Questions About Pricing
We only have one type of licensing, commercial. Prices for commercial licenses are dependent on the usage or deployment of the application in question. When the user provides you with the project scope for application deployment, you will immediately clarify with your supervisor about the cost of licensing. If clients ask for our development charges, you can let them know our charges are roughly US$800.00 per day.
We
charge a standard rate of S$1200.00/day for ‘overseas’ projects=
. From past experience we have deter=
mined
that managing ‘overseas’ projects can be really difficult. Poor communications results in lon=
ger
project timelines(delays) and mis-communication especially in terms of
requirements and deliverables. As
such, we usually mark-up the fees for foreign projects. As our
resources are fairly tight, it is always wise to deploy them in the most
efficient and profitable way. As
such, we would avoid undertaking foreign projects unless absolutely necessa=
ry. Your response to the user should be clear and concise,=
the
following is a list of services we do offer: Should the client require ‘Application developme=
nt,
customization and integration services, please get them to send the required
‘requirements’ for the project, this should cover what they wan=
t us
to do for them. Review their requirements with one of our development =
teams,
if the project is feasible you should then begin provisions for costing to =
the
client. (i.e. proposal, and/or an initial cost estimate) If we
decide not to undertake the project, please forward request to info@the_company.com and ask that it =
be
forwarded to the developer network. All
requests for technical support should be forwarded directly to support@the_company.com. If a
user encounters error messages while using our applications, you should
politely redirect them to our ‘free’ support forum at http://www.the_company.co=
m/freesupport.html. You should also provide the =
support@the_company.com e-mail to =
the
client. You
should immediately inform our webmaster about the error message to ascertai=
n if
there is actually a bug or not. If
there is an immediate fix(or bug patch as we call it) for the problem, he/s=
he
would be able to apply the
necessary patch to the application.
Should
the bug be new and we have no patch for it, you should inform the webmaster=
and
notify our developers accordingly. In many
cases, the ‘error message’ occurs because the user installs the
application(s) incorrectly. the_company
actively conducts and participates in marketing and sales campaigns. We try=
to
participate in as many of these as we can, especially if we can get in
free. What we usually do is to
barter our services in return for space at these events. The space we get could take the fo=
rm of
a booth at a conference, a table at a book launch, participation in a talk,
launching of a new product with a client etc. The
exchange of name cards is key in most events, and sometimes you may generate
leads as a result of these campaigns.
When people you’ve met from these campaigns write to you in or=
der
to request products or services, it is essential that you respond to their
request immediately. If the
lead/client is originates from Should
the lead/client originate from another country, you should take the time to corres=
pond
with the client via e-mail. F=
ind
out what they want and gather requirements for the project. Once you have all the necessary
documentation, sit down with your line manager and discuss with him/her whe=
ther
it makes sense for us to go after the project. The price is right and we ha=
ve the
resources, then chances are we will go after the project. On the other hand, sometimes=
if
the project benefits our R&D efforts, then we may offer a discount on project=
fees
to get the job.(this is not disclosed to the client) *please
remember to include all contacts from the name cards you collect into the
networks ‘Contact Book’ located on the network at http=
://linux/cgi-bin/the_company_intranet/webdb/address_book.cgi? Service is key in any
relationship, when you treat your clients right, they will remember you.3.1.4 Responding to Questions about Ser=
vices
3.1.5 Responding to Requests for Techni=
cal
Support
3.1.6 Resp=
onding
to Complaints
3.2 Handling E-mail
Leads Originating from the_company Campaigns
3.3 Handling Refer=
rals
from Other Clients
When
you receive client referrals from other clients, you must let the new client
know that your existing client referred you to them and make the necessary
arrangements to meet with them to discuss their requirements. Then proceed with the client as per
normal and service their needs accordingly.
You
must always remember to thank the referring client for their kind gesture.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Remember, treat them well and they=
will
be do the same to you.
3.4 Handling Incom= ing Phone Calls
When you receive a phone = call, use the opportunity to arrange a face-to-face meeting! Yes, this is your objective when y= ou receive any incoming call that may amount to a lead. When a call is transferred to the = sales desk, chances are, the caller is looking for something related to our produ= cts or services.
Service
the caller accordingly; ask for their name, company and contact details
etc. Attempt to arrange for an
appointment politely, it is vital that you establish contact with the
client. The battleground for =
any
sale is usually fought when you are face to face with the client. So ‘make first contact’
whenever possible.
Phone
etiquette is important always be polite and maintain your cool, and remember
always be professional.
Finally,
do not spend too much time on the phpne.&n=
bsp;
Just set up a meeting as soons as possible. Remember that good sales can only =
be
done after thorough research. Do
not let yourself get sucked into a long drawn out specs and pricing discuss=
ion
before you have had time to prepare.
3.5 Cold Call Camp= aigns
Cold
call campaigns occur when the management decides to target a specific group=
of
clients for either market research or a sales blitz.
The
following is a brief guide to cold calling either by phone or e-mail once t=
he
vertical has been selectedLPending Review for
deletion.
the_company
does not practice cold calls, if you find yourself resorting to these
measures. You should talk to =
your
line manager immediately. (this is pending inclusion)
3.5.1Research
So who do we target? Sales is always an educated concer= ted effort which must be orchestrated properly. For example, if we decide to launch a Cold Call campaign, what do you do?
Firstly, You should develop a list of potential leads by going through directories s= uch as the Top 1000 SME Listing, Yellow pages, newspapers, libraries(i.e. STB, = National library), personal contacts and internet.&= nbsp; With all the research you have gathered, you should compile a list of potential leads in the industry selected.&= nbsp; Here are the things you should look for:
· Name of company
· Other businesses they are involved in
· Size – staff, turnover, Offices etc.
· Website – do they have one
· IT Infrastructure – what do they have = in place
· Contact people
· News – have you head anything about th= is company?
When you research for information, it is essential that you identify characteris= tics of the leads, determine their business requirements and formulate a ‘= plan of attack’.
Compiling the list of leads would be your first step in your research. The research is an on-going affair= , in fact, you will be researching every avenue of opportunity throughout your campaign. The reason is that = you are constantly looking for information and determining whether the lead cou= ld possibly turn out to be a client.
3.5.2 E-mail
Once you have determined which clients you intend to contact, you should develop= a generic e-mail with information about our company, our products/services and our value add proposition to the client.&n= bsp;
Remember to always begin your e-mail politely and convey your message as efficiently= as possible. People receives lot= s of e-mails everyday and the last thing they want to receive is more spam from you. Remember the golden rule K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). Here are some tips about what you should include in the e-mail:
· How you heard about them i.e. referall, conf= erence etc.
· Brief introduction about us
· Our clients
· Your Intention(s), i.e. arrange for a meetin= g, talk to someone in charge of web initiatives?
· Directions to our website
The following is am sample e-mail format for you to look at - the information on this example may be outdated, so PLEASE update yourself before sending any information out:
Hi
there,
I
received your references through DP Information Network (DPI),
Let
me give you a little introduction about us, what we do and how we intend to
value add to your organization:-
the_company
(In Brief)
-
The founders of the company started in 1994 developing web applications.
-
Our CTO(Gunther Birznieks), President(Eric Tachibana a.k.a. Selena Sol) and
development team have published 10 books on web technology.
- We have over 25 web applications a=
nd
more than 250 web application building tools.
- Some of our clients include Mobile
One(M1), Ford, Nam Lee Pressed Metal Industries(Main Board List), Bizibody,
More Rewards, Bumiputra Commerce Bank, Tien Wah Press, Prudential,
Sprint(USA)..
We
hope to be able to work together with you in any of your upcoming projects =
and
would be pleased to meet with you when required.
In
the meantime if you want to find out more about us, you can visit our websi=
te
at: www.the_company.com or www.the_companybanking.com
Best
Regards
Xxxx
Business
Development
xxxx@the_company.com
the_company
- The Open Web Technology Company
http://www.the_company.com
(65)
773 8551 - Office
(65)
9822 xxxx –
3.5.3 Phone Call
You
should always be well prepared when you make your cold call, always have a =
plan
of what you want to say before you call.&n=
bsp;
The following are some basic things you should include in your 2 min=
ute
‘Phone Call’ pitch:
- Who do you want to speak to?
- Your name and where are you calling from?
- How did you hear about them? (references)
- Tell them about us, products, services etc. (be
brief)
- Is there a possibility to meet?
- Can you get his e-mail address, so you can send h=
im
some literature about us.
- *If this is not the right person, get the contact=
of
the RIGHT person.
The
call should be short and concise, remember K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple
Stupid. Nobody likes to=
be on
the receiving end of a cold call, so you should make the experience short a=
nd
professional.
3.5.4 Brochures
The the_company
brochures are distributed in a number of ways during a cold call campaign, =
the
following is the most common way we disseminate our brochures:
· =
Organized batch
sending – Does that sound technical? It isn’t, once in a while =
your
line manager would decide to ‘blanket bomb’ select leads. You will work closely with your ma=
nager
to work out a list of possible/useful leads and start mailing our brochures=
out
to them.
The the_company
brochure is an informative document.
The client reads to learn more about us, it is also one of the tools
sales uses to market our abilities, so use it.
Brochures
can be found at: file:
\\BACCHUS\Data\marketing\Creative_Dept_Projects\sales_brochur=
e_Jul27\Sales_Brochure
3.6 Sneaker Campai= gns
Sneaker
campaigns are when you call on your clients without giving them any notice,=
for
example, when you drop in on them when you are in the neighborhood. You have to be careful when you are
doing this because it can turn on you!&nbs=
p;
If you do this too often or are not professional when making your
entrance you could leave the client with a bad impression.
The
idea of a sneaker campaign is to let your client remember you. It is not ab=
out
making a sale there and then.
Remember to keep the conversation light and leave quickly. You must be able to tell from your
clients body language whether is free to talk or is busy. Whatever the case, remember to K.I=
.S.S.
“Keep it simple stupid”. J
3.7 Conference Boo= ths
The
marketing team is normally in charge of arranging events for the_company.
You
will receive instructions from the marketing team as to the exact set up and
requirements for the booth. I=
n most
cases, the booth will be set up by both the marketing team and by you. Budgetary allotment will also dete=
rmine
the number of the_companyns deployed at the event.
Here is
a checklist of things you MUST do:
- Make a pre-set up trip to the event location to s=
cope
the area out.
- Be early so you can set up the booth before the e=
vent
starts.
- Don’t forget to bring your booth S.O.P. ite=
ms
like the demo laptop, your name cards, a note pad & pen, freebies =
and
brochures.
- You must take all materials with you when you lea=
ve
the booth at the end of the day.
Do not be lazy and leave things behind. If anything gets lost, YOU wi=
ll be
held responsible.
- Dress smart. The appropriate attire for events is
normally the the_company Black/White Polo shirt and pants.
- You will be giving out lots of brochures at event=
s,
don’t just stand there and give them out. Talk to the leads, collect a =
name
card then give them a brochure.
Make every brochure count.
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = = &nb= sp; 4. The Sales Pitch
4.1 The Lifecycle of a Sales Pitch
The sales pitch is to som= e, the most exciting phase in the sales process.&= nbsp; It requires focus, preparation, analysis and wit, creativity, and a = lot of listening. The pitch has its own lifecycle including the following stage= s:
- The Preparation
- The Entrance
- Information Gathering
- The Pitch
- The Close
- The Summary
- The Exit
4.1.1 The Preparation
In section= 2, we discussed in detail the ways that you should go about researching your mark= et. This will prepare you for sales in general but will not prepare you for the sales pitch required for any individual customer.
While your knowledge of the market will convince the customer that you understand his business, your knowledge of his business will convince him that you represe= nt the right company for the job.
Getting to= know your customer’s company is the first step in the lifecycle of the pitch. Remember, you may only= have 30 minutes to wow the customer. You need to be able to go into the pitch knowing exactly the right questions to= ask to both get the information you need and impress upon the customer that you understand his wants and needs.
There are = several sources of good information that you can use. While you may not learn everything you need to learn from these sources, you will at least impress = the customer that you find his company important enough to invest your time and that you represent a professional team that can handle the depth of a compl= ex project.
4.1.1.1 Website
Most compa= nies today have at least a brochureware website that can provide a wealth of det= ails about the company. At very le= ast, before you get to a client’s site, you should have thoroughly researc= hed the website and if possible, generated a list of questions to ask the custo= mer about his company.
Of course,= as you know from our own website, the shelf life of website content is fairly short and most websites will have out-of-date information.
Don’= t let this stop you, but do take all the information you compile with a grain of salt.
4.1.1.2 Friend of a friend
The potent= ial customer has certainly left his or her footprint on the rest of the market. Other vendors will ha= ve worked for the company. Suppl= iers will have supplied. Partners = will have partnered.
Do some investigative work. Do you kn= ow anybody at any of those companies that you can drill for a bit of inside information?
4.1.2 The Entrance
The entrance and the begi= nning of the sales pitch are key. Take note of everything. If you are meeting multiple people= , who is in charge? Who has the power to decide?= Who recommends? Who is already against you and who is likely to be y= our friend? Where do they sit? Ho= w are they dressed. What are the handshakes like?
You must be able to soak = in all of this information in the first 2 minutes while introductions are being ma= de, and use the information to your advantage in the next 30-60 minutes.
4.1.3 In= formation Gathering
During 60% of every sales= call you should be listening. And,= if possible, 80% of that time should be in the first 50% of the meeting. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is for you to spend as much time as you can listening and aski= ng the right questions to keep them talking and to get information that you ne= ed to make the sale.
Generally, if a sales cal= l is 30 minutes long, you should spend upwards of 20 minutes simply listening. It t= akes a lot of discipline of course, but it will pay off you can do it. Anyway, within the remaining 10 minutes, you should be able to make a good enough impression to get a second meeting!
Why spend time asking que= stions when you could be selling?
Well, first of all, peopl= e like to talk and they really appreciate it if you let them.
In fact, given the right questions and atmosphere people will happily talk about almost anything, ev= en confidential information. Try= to get the following bits of information:
- The most important requirements (i.e. Cost is not important but security is critical).
- Project Budget.
- Competitors.
- Organizational Structure and names of decision makers.
- Existing Infrastructure.
- Project Sponsor.
- Technical and business capability of customer.
- Software project pet peeves and previous experien= ces both positive and negative.
Of course, questioning is= not just about project requirements. It is also about learning about the person on the other end of the table. What do they want? What do they need in their own jobs? How can we help them (g= et a raise, get a promotion, reduce their workload)? If our solution meets the project requirements, we will be in the running. If our solution meets the project requirements AND satisfies the personal goals of the buyer, we are in the account.
Second, in the words of o= ne of our primary marketing messages, “Every business is unique and require= s a unique solution to support its business”. As a result, there is no generic p= roduct that will satisfy the unique demands the customer has in mind.
Instead of boldly proposi= ng a generic sales solution, it is your job to learn everything you can about the project so that in the last 10 minutes you can rewrite your sales pitch in = your head so that it speaks exactly to the unique needs of the customer.
The customer should go aw= ay feeling as if our “generic” solution happens to be exactly what= he wants. Of course, you have pa= ckaged it on the fly based upon what he has told you!
Whatever else, remember t= hat this is the most important part of any sale. You are already armed with the knowledge about us, and what we can do for the client. It is now important that you LISTE= N to your client and understand their problem!&= nbsp;
Many sales people get cau= ght up in telling the client how good we are and fail to understand the clientR= 17;s dilemma.
4.1.4 The Pitch
So you have 10 minutes to= make your pitch because you have spent all your time asking good questions and writing down the answers. So = how will you have time to say all the amazing things there are to say about all= our gigantic range of products?
Well don’t say it a= ll.
Drink in all that the cus= tomer has told you so far and repackage your solution on the fly. Give the potent= ial customer a 10-minute presentation that mirrors everything he has just told you. If the client has said “security concerns” three times, spend a third of your time explaining how secure our technology is.&n= bsp;
Of course, BE HONEST. Know your products well enough so = that you can repackage it realistically.
4.1.6 The Summary
If the client has allotte= d 30 minutes for your sales pitch DO NOT GO OVERTIME. At minute 26, ask to summarize the meeting and let your customer get back to her work.
Your summary should come = from your notes and you should hit every major point focusing on those issues th= at are key to the goals and hopes of the client. This is your last chance to convin= ce the customer that you truly understand his problem. If you can convince him of that in= this moment, you will get a second audience and can pitch your wares with more t= ime at that point.
4.1.7 The Exit
Finally, tell him that yo= u are thrilled with the project because it is so closely related to what we alrea= dy do, and ask for a second meeting where you can discuss the details of the project and give him a much more detailed briefing about your products and services, then leave gracefully.
No matter what though, SE= T THE DATE IN THE MEETING ITSELF! Don’t allow time for cooling.= Try to make it soon after the first one. Make sure that if there was= any information he asked for that you did not know, find out and follow up. Following up is of course hugely important and will be covered in the next section.
4.2 Understanding The Corporate Banking Pitch
Most
banks in
the_company is well-positioned as a vendor that can
provide world-class talent locally. Further, through its banking prod=
ucts
and services, the_company can enable banks in the region to reach out to lo=
cal
partners with the customized functionality that is required in today's mark=
ets
CQ, please replace the above
4.2.1 Cost is not an issue
Cost is generally not an = issue, since banking budgets are usually built to support the larger MNC software vendors and management consultants. As a result, we will always be cheap compared to many vendors they have spoken to.
4.2.2 Track Record and Team
Reputation is a major con= cern for banking clients who MUST maintain a profound respectability in the market p= lace in order for them to remain competitive. No matter what, they do not want to look stupid.
Further, banks are not th= e most web-savvy organizations, so they probably have a bit of trepidation about w= eb technology and e-banking in general.
That is why it is so impo= rtant that they can TRUST the_company. They must feel safe and secure.
As such, our track record= and the expertise and reputation of our team are the most important factors in winn= ing banking jobs.
Usually, this involves ta= lking about BCB, Bank of Singapore, Barclays and Deutsche Bank as well as the his= tory of Gunther and Eric as web revolutionaries. A couple copies of the_company books is also a worthwhile investment in any banking account.
4.2.3 Security
Along the same lines, ban=
ks
depend on security. With mill=
ions
of dollars at stake, they can demand nothing less than the cutting edge.
Our accreditation from Ba= nk Negara is a good kudo as is the fact that we have been audited by Accenture= and TruSecure. You should also take advantage of the fact that we have recently been asked to speak at several IT security conferences and televisions show= s.
4.2.4 Domain Knowledge
Corporate banking is quit= e a complicated domain to learn and it is always impressive to potential custom= ers when you can speak the jargon.
Talk intelligently about = the existing legacy infrastructures (know the major mainframe applications that banks use, for example). Brin= g up current events in the banking world such as mergers, new business models, or major occurrences from the industry rags.&= nbsp; CC cool bits of e-news that relate to the customer’s project.<= /p>
4.3 Understanding the M-Business Pitch
the_company=
’s
M-business puts you in tot=
al
control over e-channels. Send SMS messages, name cards, address book entries
and invitations to one or more users on your telco network. Schedule remind=
ers
to be sent via SMS or email. Manage and share your address book or calendar.
Configure time zones so that your communications can be sent on time. Autom=
ate
your applications to clean up your diary and To-Do lists. Check on the stat=
us
of your messages at any time, and call up your telco bill at the click of a
button.
The the_com=
pany M-business client and server API=
are
written entirely in 100% pure J2EE Java. The server-side utilises
Jakarta-TomCat with open source SOAP libraries as the substrate upon which =
the
API, general data and SMS interfaces are delivered. This allows you to deli=
ver
your wireless solutions as web services.
the_company M-business presents a source of additional revenue as users can be billed for using the service. Not only will individuals benefit from the borderless reach of this valuable tool, companies too can exploit the power of the_company Wireless to manage large user groups from a single terminal – anywhere around the world<= /span>
4.4 Understanding the Broad-Based Pitch
As
such, the pitch for the broad based sale should appeal to every industry.
- Easy t= o use – Our applications have been used by hundreds and thousand of us= ers all over the world, and all these people can’t be wrong. Our applications are develope= d by people for use by everyday people.
- Easy to maintain – Developers all over the world have used our code, our source code is open so anyone can fix it. A good example of this are Ja= panese cars, they are good reliable and can be fixed anywhere. On the other hand, there are certain continental cars that only the dealer can fix.
- World = Class Technology – Our developers have written over 10 books on web technology and have been building web applications since 1994. Our technology is robust, scalable and secure, with so many years of experience we are fortunate= to be able to provide industry leading application building tools as well= as applications.
- Docume= ntation – All the_company developments are meticulously documented, you = can easily find references from our website about our software. We even provide tutorials to developers and users about our applications. (Some of our more recent publications - Web Application Cookbook, May 2001, Henry Holt, ZZZ and AAA, CGI Programming, M= arch 2000, O’Reilly, AAA)
- Time to Market – Our applications are like Lego blocks, they plug into e= ach other seamlessly. As suc= h, we can roll out applications quickly and efficiently.
- Inter-= operability – All the_company applications are multi-platform, and can easily plug into most systems. = Our experience in the financial sector is proof of this. Over the years, we have conne= cted to all the most common back-end systems.
- Lower = cost – We have many off the shelf products that can be sold ‘as-is’ or customized to the clients requirements quickly = and efficiently, this reduces both cost and time to market for the client.=
- Support – Should the client require support in any areas, we can work ou= t a support/maintenance program for them.= Our support is world renowned.
- Traini= ng – At the end of every the_company project, we offer training for= the relevant people involved. This is to ensure that they are properly trained to use and handle the most common issues associated with the project.
The broad based pitch is something that you can use for every industry. There is no hard and fast rule as = o how you impart the pitch, but be sure to keep your ears open so you can focus y= our pitch. Ask questions and list= en.
4.5= Professionalism
You are the first point of contact and control the hugely important fist impression! The first person = the client sees is you. As such, you should always be dressed smart, be polite,= be focused, and listen.
When you meet new clients= you should also be prepared. This means, for example, that you should always ha= ve brochures and name cards ready.
Always anticipate ahead o= f time what you want to do, plan for it then execute it. DO NOT meet any client if you are unprepared, this does not do anything for you or the company. Always ‘be prepared’.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The following is a simple checklis= t for you before any sales call:
- Dress Code
- Name Cards and Brochure (bring extra in case more people show up!)
- Presentation/Projector (when required only)
- List of the_company solutions relevant to client (only if you know what they are looking for)
- List of questions based on your pre-sales researc= h
4.6 Positioning
In
section 3.1 above, we said,
“Though the person who sent the email might not=
be
paying client now, it is vital that we make their experience as pleasant an=
d as
useful as possible.”
“As
useful” is italicized above because it is important. Your job as a sales person is a CR=
UCIAL
part of our larger positioning.
We are
positioned as experts.
You must always give the impression that you, not just the techies, are an expert. This means that wheth= er we can close a sale or not, the potential customer should go away FURTHER ALON= G IN THEIR OWN PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING THEIR NEEDS. Whether we make a sale or not, we = must make the customer feel as if we provided a discernable value add.
Most of the time, the cli= ents will complain that ‘you cost too much’. But the difference is that we are = worth more. It’s like compari= ng a branded watch to a cheap fake. The branded one works better, is warranted against any defects, and has a proven track record.
the_company is much like = the branded watch, we have an illustrious track record, warranties and most of = all, real industry experts comprising of our development teams. So ask yourself, wouldn’t yo= u pay a little more for the piece of mind that your job will get done right?
4.7 How to Deal with Cost Concerns
Clients usually have conc= erns about costing. This is normal= . It is usually because it is too high. The following are some = steps you should keep in mind when dealing with ‘cost concerns’:
- Asking - Ask the client what their budget is and = see how far off we are.
- Discounts - If our price is slightly higher and t= he discount required is marginal, one of the things you can do is talk to your line manager about giving them a discount. Remember to always tell your = client you will try your best to talk to you account manager, this makes them feel like you are trying to help them.
- Phasing - The alternative to giving a discount is= to have either the payments phased over a longer period, or to have the development done in phases. &nbs= p; By spreading cost over a longer period of time, the amount of upfront payment can be reduced. Likewise, if development is phased, the client can pay for what= is complete and move on to other phases when they are ready.
- Features – When you cannot discount or phase the project, then your final alternative is to ask if there could be a reduction in requirements. The argument for this is that development time would be reduced resulting = in lower costs.
4.8 How to Deal with Security Concerns
Open source…so h= ow secure are you? This is one o= f the most common questions people ask you, and you had better be sure you have an answer for them.
The idea behind Open S= ource is that the user can view and change the code of the application. In Closed Source(i.e. Microsoft), = the source code is hidden preventing the user from modifying the code.
When Open Source softw= are is developed, it is released to the development community where thousands of developers from all over the world review and scrutinize the software. Any bugs or security issues within= the code are discovered and reported to the developer(the_company), and a patch= is included depending on the issue.
Closed Source software= on the other is only tested by a small group of developers in isolation. Corporations that practice this ty= pe of development usually deem their software secret and proprietary. As a result of releasing the softw= are to such a small group of developers, many bugs and security flaws are not found till the software is launched.
With releases of Open = Source code over the last decade to thousands of developers around the world for testing and development, Open Source produces more secure than code that is Closed Source
the_company software i= s used in the most demanding conditions, from complex highly sensitive financial t= rade applications to other more generic broad based applications. No matter where we go, secur= ity is paramount to all our applications and development practices.
4.9 How do you deal with Competition?
Clients are bound to get = quotes from several vendors for a particular project. You should ask them if they = are willing to disclose the other vendors.&nbs= p; If they do disclose to you who the competitors are, then great, you = can so some research and size up their strengths and weaknesses. One way you can do this is to go to their website and find out what they do, their products, services and past clients.
The competition is always= present and there is nothing you can do but to improve your position. Here are some ways which can help strengthen your pitch:
- Always keep an open line of communications
- Provide a detailed concise proposal
- Address their concerns. Always ask clients if there is anything they need clarified
- Bring your developers down to meet the customer.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Sometimes it helps to show yo= ur client the people behind the project.= Your developers are the experts, and they can assure the client that the project can be done
- Send them our success stories, i.e. reference websites
- Invite them to our events
- Put them on our mailing list, show them we are ac= tive
Locate your weakness and = plan for it, chances are the competitor knows your weaknesses too and would have highlighted this to the client. So get ready for questions, be prepared to defend your position.
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; 5. Follow Up
5.1 Shaping What t= he Customer Wants
We are the experts. We should remember that at every s= tage and help the customer to define their own requirements.
To do this, you need to r= ecognize your clients needs and help them to do the same. The reasoning behind this is simple, once your client recognizes that a need exists, then this justifies a purchasing a= ction.
The 3 objectives you must= address in the recognition of needs phase include:
- Uncover dissatisfaction – You need to uncov= er your client’s dissatisfaction with an existing product, method or system. To do this, you = need to ask questions.
- Develop dissatisfaction – Once you have discovered areas of dissatisfaction, you should develop additional questions that would show your client the urgency or need to get the problem resolved.
- Selectively channel dissatisfaction – this = is where you enhance the feelings of dissatisfaction in those areas and m= ake the_company products and services the best solution to the problem. Then you need to figure out w= hich the_company products can solve your clients problems.
You must use the clients dissatisfaction to your advan= tage, help them recognize it, offer them your solution and shape what they want.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> In essence, you are guiding them d= own a path set by you.
5.2 How to Gather Requirements
The first point of contact between our developers and the client is YOU! It is important for you to gather = as much of the project requirements from your client during the initial meeting. As you can, by provi= ding details to your developers, you can get a better estimate of the feasibility and cost of the project from your team.
Here is a checklist of= things you should look out for:
- What is the purpose of the project?
- Is it a Web
based project?(What exactly do they want)
- Do they have any preliminary requirements or scop=
e of
works?
- Are they looking at any particular type of langua=
ge
in regards to the project?(e.g. PERL, Java, ASP)
- Is there something already in the market that they
like or have used before?
- What is their estimated time to market?
- Do they have a budget, if so, are they at liberty=
to
reveal it?
- Developers technical questions :
- Client’s insfratructure (i.e. what hardwa=
re
they are using).
- Current Web Server if any.
- Current database (i.e. Oracle, Sybase).
- Type of technology preferred (i.e. Java, PERL).=
- Type of legacy system we may encounter.
- Functional Specifications for the project if an=
y.
Remember,
besides making the client feel comfortable with you. You need to bring home the informa=
tion.
5.3 How To Judge P= roject Feasibility
Once
you gather the initial Requirements for the project from your clients, you =
will
have a rough idea whether or not this project is within our realm. Here is a checklist to gauge proje=
ct
feasibility:
- Is the project web related, if not, what is it? <= o:p>
- Is the project within our verticals?(i.e. Banking,
Telecommunications)
- Can we build it?(i.e. Do we have the applications
already, or can we customize something to fit the requirements.)
- Do we have the resources?
Don’t worry if y= ou cannot judge feasibility especially if you are new. You can always go through the requ= irements with your line manager and work out feasibility for the project.
5.4 Negotiation
When people think of nego= tiation, the first thing that comes to mind is pricing. As a result, they see negotiations= as a very threatening activity. In actual fact, there are many other aspects of negotiations besides haggling = over prices.
The areas that will help = you to achieve a successful negotiation session would be:
- What is my Maximum leverage? – Most people think that price is the main concern of clients, this may be true to s= ome and you could possibly use discounts as a point to leverage your posit= ion in a sale. Some clients = on the other hand are not concerned with price, in fact, they may be concerned with the technology, scalability, service etc. Once you have understood your clients major concerns, use them to your advantage.
- How do I narrow the ranges? – What does this mean? Well, imaginethat = there is a negotiation pending in which you know the client is going to ask = for a price reduction, what do you do?&nb= sp; Firstly, do not get trans-fixed by the price. You have to think of other alternatives as well. For example, if you know you have reached your minimum price, you could of= fer other alternatives such as longer phased payments, lower upfront depos= it, delayed final payments, phased development etc. there are a host of ways to negotiate a deal, pricing is just one of them.
- Questions – You should always ask questions. This will giv= e you ammunition in your negotiation process. Understanding the reason why a client wants something will give you an opportunity to provide a solut= ion to their needs.
- Understanding – You should always let your client know you understand them. A lot of frustration is generated because people don’t fe= el heard or understood. It = is essential for you to take some time to go over solutions or issues so = that both parties are clear and understand each other.
Remember, the idea of negotiations is to achieve an agreement that works. It is pointless to agree on someth= ing and figure out later it doesn’t work. When you negotiate make sure it= 217;s calculate, understood and works.
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; 6. Submitting Prop= osals
6.1 How to Write a Proper Proposal
Upon
successful completion of your sales call, Hopefully your client will reques=
t a
comprehensive proposal about the products and services we are delivering and
most importantly the cost estimate for the project. You can should take the time to go
through the proposal structure at:
file:\\BACCHUS\Data\projects\SampleStandardProposals_Docs\Latest_P=
roposal_Templates
It is
essential that you read and understand the proposal structure before you st=
art
writing your proposal.
6.1.1 What must be included in the proposal?
Generally,
all the_company proposals have the same layout it’s only the project
details that will change. You
should have the requirements for the project at this stage and should be us=
ing
it as references to help you with the proposal. The layout for most proposals are =
as
follows:
Project
Code – Before you begin writing your proposal you must first assign a
project code to your proposal. This
will serve as a reference point for all proposals and does not change even
after the client signs the proposal.
So
where do you get this project code?
The project code ‘book’ can be found at the sales manage=
rs
desk, it is a brown book and all you need to do is write down the next runn=
ing
project code number. The proj=
ect
code for a typical project looks something like this – my/02/003/TS.
Here is a break down of what all the abbreviati=
ons
and numbers mean:
my -
02 - 2002
003 - 3rd Proposal this =
year
TS - Total Sol=
ution
(i.e. there is a legend in the book which tells you the abbreviations for a=
ll
the services we offer.)
Draft Versions – Another important point =
to
note when writing proposals is to understand the need for ‘version
control’. The client ne=
ver
accepts the first draft of any proposal, so it is essential that there is
version control to ensure that the readers know which version of the propos=
al
they are looking at. Sometime=
s it
may take several drafts before the client is satisfied. Please note the following version
control method we adopt:
1) "my/02/003/TS/draft/I" =3D =
first
draft
2) "my/02/003/TS/draft/II" =3D
second draft
3) "my/02/003/TS/draft/III" =3D
third draft
4) "my/02/003/TS/final" =3D final draft
Cover
Page – This is a one pager that introduces the project and gives a br=
ief
introduction about the project.
E.g. Web Applications
required, services provided and cost estimate.
Section
1 “about the_company” – This section does not change(unle=
ss
otherwise advised), it covers information about our company.
Section
1.1 “experience” – This basically gives the client a brief
run down about some of our clients and what we have done for them.
Section
1.2 “publications and presentations” - This section does not change unl=
ess we
publish something new. The in=
tent
for this is to further emphasize our credibility.
Section
1.3 “the_company Products – You will basically list the the_com=
pany
products relevant to the project here and the brief description.
Section
1.4 “value proposition” – This section does not change(un=
less
otherwise advised), it emphasizes how we would add value to the clients
project.
Section
2 “timetable, fees and
deliverables” – A short paragraph giving the client’s tot=
al
cost and timeline estimates
Section
2.1 “deliverables” – The list of the the_company applicat=
ions
and services provided.
Section
2.2 “project phases” – Gives the client’s details a=
bout
deliverables over different phases.
Section
2.3 “project timeline” – Gives projected start and end da=
tes.
Section
2.4 “payment” – Details of payment are included here.
Section
2.5 “expenses” – Let’s your client know that out of
pocket expenses are chargeable.
Section
3 “supports and warranties” – This section does not change
unless otherwise requested by the client.
Section
3.1 “warranty period” – This section does not change unle=
ss
otherwise requested by the client.
Section
3.2 “support and maintenance contract” – This section does
not change unless otherwise advised by the client.
Section
4 “obligations of the_company” – Our obligations do not
change.
Section
5 “abortive costs” – This section does not change unless
otherwise advised by the client.
Section
6 “acceptance” – The client signs here.
Appendix
– Visios or Matrix
This is
just a general outline of what is included in a standard proposal, most pro=
posals
do not stay this way. In almo=
st
every case, the client would review and request for changes. Should the client request any chan=
ges
made to the proposal, you must always clear it with your line manager before
making any amendments.
6.1.1 Authorization and signing of proposals?<= /a>
The only people authorized to sign and approve proposa= ls are the executive shareholders within the_company. Upon completion of your draft prop= osal, you must hand the proposal over to an executive shareholder as well as your= line manager (who may be an executive shareholder) for review and to get the appropriate approval and signature(s).&nbs= p;
Under no circumstances are you or any other employee o= f the_company supposed to sign any proposal on behalf of the_company.
6.2 How To Generat= e Visios and Matrices
Depending on your client&= #8217;s requirements, it is always good practice to include either a Visio or Matrix for client referencing. Visio= s are normally used for clients who have less experience with web related projects. Visios will provide= your client with a visual guide to the expected workflow of the project. So what does a Visio look like, yo= u can find an example of a proper Visio at:
File:\\BACCHUS\Data\sales\SalesStandardForms_templates\bcf_project_wor= kflow.vsd , you should use this example template as a guide when developing your Visi= o.
You can find a copy of th= e the_company Visio stencil that you can use at:
file:\\BACCHUS\Data\sales\SalesStandardForms_templates\the=
_company_visio_workflow_stencils.vss
The
Matrix is more detail and outline about the actual development timelines for
each phase of the project.
The Matrix basically covers every aspect of the project, from gather=
ing
specifications, developing. T=
he
User Acceptance Testing etc. =
You
will need to get the help of a developer to create a Matrix. You will not be
able to do it by yourself because only developers can give estimates on
development times.
Example
1 – The Project Matrix:
|
<NOBR&= gt;Description</NOBR><= o:p> |
<NOBR&= gt;Dev Days</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
Look and Feel (first
cycle) |
5 |
|
Client Approval cycle for look and feel (5 days) |
5 |
|
Specs |
10 |
|
Client Approval of Specs (5 days) |
5 |
|
Auth Logic |
2 |
|
Login JSP |
1 |
|
Registration JSP |
2 |
|
Search Screen Logic |
1 |
|
Search Screen JSP |
1 |
|
Add Screen Logic |
1 |
|
Modify Screen Logic |
1 |
|
Views Details Logic |
1 |
|
Add/Modify/View Details JSP |
2 |
|
Internal Testing |
3 |
|
Tech Support Documentation |
3 |
|
Test Plan Documentation |
2 |
|
SIT |
2 |
|
UAT |
5 |
|
Go Live |
2 |
Example
2 – The Adecco Matrix:
|
<NOBR&= gt;Task Name</NOBR><= o:p> |
<NOBR&= gt;Duration</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
Phase 1 - Functional
Specifications gathering stage |
<NOBR> </NOBR> |
|
Obtain information =
on existing
ADECCO infrastructure and develop implementation plans |
<=
/span><NOBR>3
days</NOBR> |
|
Analyze intended
application workflows |
<NOBR>3 days</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
Provide final costi=
ng
and timelines |
<NOBR>2 days</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
Documentation - Ong=
oing |
2 days |
|
|
|
|
Phase Two: Applicat=
ion
Development |
<NOBR> </NOBR> |
|
Customization of Recruitment tracker application for candidates |
6 days |
|
|
|
|
Phase Three: User
Acceptance Testing |
<NOBR></NOBR> |
|
Integration of
applications to the_company test environment |
2<NOBR>3 days</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
UAT by ADECCO team -
LIVE |
<NOBR>5 days</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
|
|
|
Phase Four: Training
and Documentation |
|
|
Completion of
Documentation |
<NOBR>3 days</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
½ day traini=
ng
session |
<NOBR>1/2 day</NOBR><= o:p> |
|
|
|
6.3 How Pricing Wo= rks
O.k.
you now know approximately how long the project will take and which develop=
ers
you can assign to the project. So
how do you work out pricing for the project? Pricing is a sensitive issue and y=
ou may
need assistance from your line manager to help you with pricing. The reason is because a lot of the=
work
required for any given project is split up differently for people working on
the project.
The
following is an example on how a 10-day project split amongst the developme=
nt
team working on the project as well as an the estimated cost:
|
Example |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Project |
|
On Job |
|
|
|
|
Hourly |
Daily |
# of Days |
# of hours |
% of Time |
Labor Cost |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lead Developer |
$ 15=
0 |
$ 1,200 <=
span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> |
10 |
80 |
0.1 |
$ 1,200 |
|
|
Senior Developer |
$ 12=
5 |
$ 1,000 <=
span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> |
10 |
80 |
0 |
$ &nbs=
p;
- |
|
|
Developer |
|
$ 10=
0 |
$ 80=
0 |
10 |
80 |
1 |
$ 8,000 |
|
Art Director |
$ 10=
0 |
$ 80=
0 |
2 |
16 |
1 |
$ 1,600 |
|
|
Project Manager |
$ 10=
0 |
$ 80=
0 |
10 |
80 |
0.2 |
$ 1,600 |
|
|
Project SA |
$ 15=
0 |
$ 1,200 <=
span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> |
4 |
32 |
1 |
$ 4,800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Labor Cost |
|
|
|
|
|
$ 17,200 =
|
|
|
Effective Hourly Rate |
$ 21=
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Effective Daily Rate |
|
$ 1,720 <=
span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The above is a simple example. Having spoken to the developers you would get an idea about how much time each person will spend= on the project. In this case, th= e LEAD developer would spend 10% of his time each day, the DEVELOPER would spend 1= 00% of his time, the ART DIRECTOR 100% of his time(for 2 days only), the PROJECT MANAGER 20% of his time and the SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR 100% of his time(for 4 days).
The
final amount is then divided by the project timeline, 10 days, and an avera=
ge
team rate of $1720.00 is derived.
6.4 Legal Issues
Every proposal comes with= some legal jargon at the end of it, if you look at any proposal it always includ= es certain disclaimers, warranties, abortive clauses etc. The reason for these legal clauses= is to protect us in case anything goes wrong.&nb= sp; A contract is legally binding and could make or break your project budget. As such, it is import= ant to spell out certain legal issues within a contract so that the client has a c= lear understanding of the implications should they fail to perform on their part= .
You should have a look at some of the legal clauses found on our proposals at:<= o:p>
file:\\BACCHUS\Data\projects\SampleStandardProposals_Docs\Latest_P=
roposal_Templates
*No
matter what, no proposal should go out without the approval of the legal te=
am!
&nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = 7. Handing Over a Signed Project=
7.1 PM Handover Procedures
When a project is confirm= ed, your line manager will assign a Project Manager to the project. What you need to do is schedule so= me time with your Project Manager to brief him on the project based on the proposal given to the client. All rele= vant information provided by the client to you should also be communicated to yo= ur Project Manager. Remember, yo= u must make sure your PM understands fully what you sold.
7.1.1 What do I tell the client?
If
possible, you should arrange a meeting with your Project Manager and the
client. It is important that =
your
client knows whom he will be dealing with from now on. This will also give your PM the ch=
ance
to clarify issues that he or she is unclear about while at the same time gi=
ving
him or her the chance to find out more information that can assist in
understanding the project better.
7.1.2 What happens to the information saved on= the network?
All
project information you have saved on the network at file:\\BACCHUS\Data\projects=
\Projects_pitching
in the clients folder should be transferred one level up to file:\\BACCHUS\Data\projects. This is where all confirmed projec=
ts are
located, this area is where your Project Manager will be accessing the
information.
7.1.3 What happens to the Blue Manila Folder?
You
will transfer all the contents of the Blue Folder to a Black hard cover 3-r=
ing
folder. Black folders represe=
nt
confirmed projects and they are always kept under lock and key.
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = 8. Client Relation= ship Management
8.1 Mid Project Relations=
hip
Building
So your project is already
halfway through development. =
Your
client is probably busy working with the development team on the project.
You should know that most= of our projects are follow-on projects, and you have to do your part to keep in to= uch with the client so that we can upsell more products and services to them in= the future.
Do
something! Don’t just s=
it
back on your laurels once a project is signed. Take your client out to lunch, tak=
e them
out for drinks, do anything. =
You
should always keep the relationship warm to hot. The client may be busy with the pr=
oject,
but it will not hurt if you show your concern for the progress of the
project. In fact,=
they
will appreciate your efforts and you can report your findings back to the
project manager because they may have missed it.
Keep your communications channels open. You can pick up on things that may lead to a potential sale. As mentioned earlier, most project= s are made through follow-on sales with the same client. Impressions last, and they w= ill remember you if you treat them right.
8.2 Upselling
When the_company
has completed a project, or is in the process of working with a client, the
client may have requirements not speced into the original proposal. These requirements may be things t=
hat
they wish to have or things you think they should have.
The
best way to determine what the client is looking for is to identify, listen=
and
gather information about the clients needs. Therefore, the #1 thing you=
need
to do is not sell at all, but to approach
the clients from the point of view of understanding her wants and needs.
Once you identify and gat=
her the
information, the best thing you can do is give it to your PM who will then
likely write up a proposal for "additional works" which will be
discussed below.
8.2.1 What are ‘additional works’<= /a>
As the
title suggests, additional works are new requirements added to a completed
project or a project in progress.
There are certain exceptions to additional works orders in terms of
payment. It is not alwa=
ys
about money. If the client is
large, pays on time, nice to us etc. we sometimes make exceptions and absor=
b the
costs. The reason for this is=
that
if the client looks good, we look good.&nb=
sp;
As such you must work with your Project Manager to determine whether=
the
client should be charged for the additional works or not. A sample of the additional cans be=
found
on the network at:
File:\\BACCHUS\Data\projects\SampleStandardProposals_Docs\2001100=
4_AW_final_html.doc
8.3 Post Mortems
Upon completion of your p= roject, you should always make an appointment to do a 1 on 1 with your client. The idea behind doing a post morte= m is to resolve any existing issues, and make sure that we do better the next ti= me. Some things you should ask during = your post mortem with the client is:
- Was the project a success? Did we develop accordi=
ng
to required specifications?
- What were the main problems you faced and how were
they resolved?
- What did you like most about our team?
- What was it you liked least about our team?
- In your opinion, was there anything we could have
better?
Remember to subtly remind= your client that the reason you are doing this is so that we can provide them a better service in the future. Looking out for the best interests of your clients is important, and your clients will appreciate your efforts.
8.4 Getting Client Success Stories and the Good News=
The the_company
marketing team works closely with you.&nbs=
p;
They are the people who market the company and generate publicity for
us. As such, it is important =
for
you to provide them with any information that may help them. The marketing team is specifically=
in
charge of the following areas:
- the_company eXchange
- Website News
- Public Relations, Media Communications
- Events
- Alliances
- Sales brochure (client success stories)
Whenever
you complete a project, you should always provide the marketing team with t=
he
details of the project and the overall “Client Success Story”.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The marketing team will use the
information about your successful project for our newsletter, website news,=
PR,
media etc.
Remember
we need to send all this “Good News” about our “Client
Success Stories” out to the public.&=
nbsp;
And it is your job is to get these stories to our marketing team.
The end
of your project marks the beginning of a new project for the marketing
team. As such, you shou=
ld
work with them to provide as much information to them as you can.
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; 9. Sales Bureaucracy
9.1 Blue and Black Folders
Blue folders(Manila Folde= r) – They contain any documentation you have with your potential client, these are the interim folders used to house any information about the clien= t. You should always keep important information in these folders about the client. As well as notes and meeting minut= es.
Black Folder(Ring Binder = Type) – Once you have successfully signed a contract, you MUST transfer all= the information from the interim BLUE folder to a Black Folder. The Black Folder will be accessed = by the Project Manager and he/she will start filing all documentation relevant to = the project in the folder.
The Blue and Black Folder= s can be found in the Administration office metal filing cabinet. Take the time to go through = them, so you will have an idea what they contain.
9.2 Saving Thing o= n the Network
Save everything! Whenever you create a Blue Folder = for a potential client, you need to create a soft copy on the network, under R= 20;Projects Pitching”. You can find= this folder at:
File:\\BACCH= US\Data\projects\Projects_pitching
Create a soft copy for yo= ur potential client here. Everyt= hing including e-mail correspondences, technical specifications etc. should be saved. The reason why we want= you to do this is so that anybody can pick up from where you left off and to satisfy legal issues. Also, i= f your machine crashes, then all information would be lost.
Once you have successfull= y signed a contract, you must move your client folder out of the “Projects Pitching” folder into: = file:\\BACCHUS\Data\projects
This is where all current projects reside. Your Project Manager will be accessing and saving all information relevant to the project here.
Remember, SAVE everything= .
9.3 Sales Progress Reports
When do we write sales st= atus reports? – Status reports are submitted at the C.O.B.(Close of Busine= ss Day) on Friday. The report wi= ll provide your line manager a summary about your week’s activities and should be as concise as possible but as detailed as required. There is a sales status template y= ou should use and it can be found at: file:\\BACCHUS\Data\sales\Status_reports\elim\sales_progress_report_t= emplate.doc. You should always submit your stat= us report in the format provided.
How you use the sales sta=
tus
template? – There are guidelines in the template itself that will tell
you what we expect from the report.
For example, in “Section 1: Update Summary” of the sales
status template, the guideline given is as follows: “In this section you should give highlights from the
week. Especially useful are y=
our
comments on markets and how they might affect our ongoing strategy. What are you hearing on the street=
s? Any ideas on new products or
markets? Any problems you are
facing in general that we might help you with? Have you learned any juicy b=
its
of industry jargon or gossip?”
Use the paragraph as a gu= ide and start writing your report accordingly.&nbs= p; If you want to have a look at some past reports, you can access them= on our network at: file:\\BACCHUS\= Data\sales\Status_reports
9.4 Sales Meetings=
Sales meetings are usuall= y held at the beginning of the week at 10.00am in the morning. During this time you will go throu= gh your Sales Progress Report with your line manager and discuss your leads wi= th him/her.
Besides
giving your line manager an update of the sales situation. The Sales Meeting is also the best=
time
to talk about new strategies, products, ideas etc. anything that may help b=
oost
sales or increase market exposure.
You should always be thinking of new directions and ideas, brainstorm
these ideas and discuss them with your colleagues.
Your
ideas will inevitably lead the way for R&D into new products and
markets. Remember, the Sales
Meeting is not just about current potential clients, it is about the future=
of
how we do business.
9.5 Adding Contacts to=
the
Intranet Phone Book
No matter where you are, = you should be religiously collecting name cards as often as you can. What you are looking for is useful contacts that may help you in the future.&= nbsp; So what do you do with all the name cards you have collected? Answer: “Save them into our Intranet Phone Book”.
You can find the Phone Bo= ok on our network at http= ://linux/cgi-bin/the_company_intranet/webdb/address_book.cgi
Once you have entered the=
name
card information into the database, you will be able to retrieve contact
information easily whenever the need arises. Besides this, your contact will ha=
ve the
pleasure of being on our mailing list.
9.6 How Train New = Sales Teammates
So you have a new sales t=
eammate,
what do you need to do? The
following is a checklist you should go through to ensure that your new
colleague is properly trained.
You will need to map out a training schedule and show it to your line
manager, REMEMBER you must show your line manager what you intend to do.
- Arrange a 1 on 1 meeting time with your new colle=
ague.
- Briefly tell him/her about the company (i.e. peop=
le,
policies etc.)
- Go through this Sales S.O.P. with them (you must =
take
them through it slowly and clearly)
- Take them to your terminal and show them the
important areas of the network.
- You must show them all the project folders, and a=
lso
go through a proposal with them.
- Show them where the Blue/Black Folders are kept.<= o:p>
- Arrange for them to follow you on sales calls.
- Q & A
The
rule of thumb here is to ensure that your new teammate will be able to do w=
hat
you do. One training session =
may
not be enough. If this is the case then you should make arrangements for
another round of training. Yo=
u must
also provide all relevant documentation like sales reports, proposals, Sales
S.O.P. for their reference.
END
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37 |