presales best practices you can use now, by doug johnson

Presales Best Practices You Can Use NowDoug JohnsonSales Engineer

BetterFasterStronger

Version 5.0

Session Overview

• Discovery: The Key to Success

• Poor discovery = poor demo

• No decision maker / no budget / no timeframe = no demo

• Demo Prep: Do Not Skimp

• Know prospects business

• Tailor demo for the client

• Demo Delivery: Tell Show Tell

• No questions = no interest

• Stories: Results from the Field

• Presales examples and results

Demos in 2014

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Prospects Partners Other

Demos in 2014

Demos

Prospects

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20

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Partners

Partners Involved

How Are We Doing?

26

40

61

Won Open Lost

Results

• 30% close rate

DiscoveryThe Key to Success

Discovery Success Factors

Win Deal

Exit a ‘Loser’

Discovery: Nobody Wants It

“No discovery needed … I’ve been working with this client for 3 years.”- VAR ABC

“The prospect is excited and really wants to see the software.”- Acumatica Employee

“During this round, all my prospect needs is an overview of the software.”- VAR XYZ

“We are narrowing it down to three vendors in this round.”- VAR 123

Discovery Document

• Easy to Get Started

• 3 pain points

• Sales process

• What they are replacing

• Modules needed

• Other Information

• Module specific information

• External systems

• Implementation

• Key reports

• ROI

Demo PrepDo Not Skimp Here

What Helps?

Short list of items the prospect wants to see

No 500 question RFPs please.

Get a Purchase Order

Vendor part number

Catalog numbers

Data for demo

Track quantity received

B/O and FET all zero, why?

Get an Invoice

Add equipment to your project

Typed notes (manual invoice)

Actual pricing (and often inventory IDs)

Subcontractors (missed during discovery)

Reprints required

Customer quote

6 pages

Manually produced

Design process and negotiation

Docs from Key Processes

Shipping requirements

Written notes – opportunity!

Email stamp - opportunity!

Sample customer and addresses

Provide Key Reports

Excel or BI tool needed for graphics

Pareto chart required

Do we have data?

Flow Diagram: First Review

16

West Point

Howells

NVC Vet Supply(Agri-Blenders)

Distributor

(MWI)

Wisner

1. Supplies ordered via distributor

2. Order placed

with manufacturer

1a) Sales order created with drop

shipment specified

- Cost provided from manufacturer

- Price set between companies

3. Order drop-shipped to NVS

2a) PO emailed to manufacturer with

shipping instructions

3a) Shipment received

into inventory

4) Invoice

Invoice

outside

Acumatica

Flow Diagram: Revision

17

West Point

Howells

NVC Vet Supply

Distributor

(MWI)

Wisner

3. Invoice sent to NVC

Invoice verified

(not re-keyed)

2. Order shipped to NVS

2a) Shipment received into

inventory

- Cost based on PO

amount

1. Supplies ordered

1a) PO emailed from NVC to MWI

- Bill to NVC

- Ship to NVS warehouse

Invoice includes

markup

4. Invoice sent to NVS

Flow Diagram

18

Main Warehouse(pickup orders)

• Customer drive up, places order

• Payment accepted- Attempt to gather customer

information

1.Customer phones in order

Purchase order delivery

Invoice and payment

Dispatch(orders on account)

2.Schedule delivery

3.Deliver via 3rd

party

4.Invoice- Include delivery charge

Account Customer

Drive Up Customer

Demo DeliveryTell Show Tell

Have an Agenda

• Establish key talking points

• Part of tell-show-tell

• Keeps demo on track

• Elements

• Key items to cover

• Speakers

• Scenarios

• Timeframes (optional)

• 10:00am

Background

• 10:15am Demo

• 12:00pm QuestionsNOT AN AGENDA

Start with Excitement

Start When

• Decision makers present

PowerPoint

• Key for setting vision

• Keep it short, not required

Attention Grabbers:

• Show dashboards

• Show customer’s items

Build Credibility

“Can you handle federal excise tax applied to tire purchases?”

• Competition answer: yes

• Acumatica answer: if you can explain your requirements I will show you what we can do with our flexible tax system …

“This is very specific to our industry … here is how it works …”

Finish with Vision

Attention Grabbers:

• Show mobile

• Show portal

List Issues

• Keep to-do’s positive

• Not a list of customizations

Some StoriesResults form the Field

Case 1: Tire Distributor

Preparation:• Discovery doc + 10 things they wanted to see on demo

• Agenda including key process flows to show

• Received PO from supplier

• FUSION RMS

Demo 1:• Showed custom items

• Made it look easy to search for data

Demo 2:• Information was missing: quick quote, pick ticket

process, invoicing, federal excise tax

Result: • Won

Case 2: Mulch Wholesaler

Preparation:

• Discovery included need for mobile and web

• Scheduling and dispatch – M5 involved

Demo:

• Reviewed PPT workflow

• Showed everything needed and got buy off

After Demo:

• Gave demo instance, customer was ‘confused’ by software

Result:

• Lost

Case 3: Pet Supplies ManufacturerPreparation:• Multiple discovery calls (PAM, SE, Partner)

• Integration with third parties (Ecommerce, carriers, shipping)

• Manufacturing options discussed

Demo:• Showed customized items

• Showed inter-company and key processes

After Demo: • Executive call scheduled

• Reference calls scheduled

Result: • Won

Case 4: Hotel Supply DistributorPreparation:

• Discovery uncovered forecasting needs

• Prospect provided 2 page document of pain points and flow

Demo 1:• Needed better display of forecast data and container shipping

Demo 2: • Showed forecasting, answered 10-12 specific questions

• Customization requested (duplicate PO, PO split, kitting)

Demo 3• Did demo for a different audience

Demo 4:• Reviewed 15 questions about solution, got buy-off on each

Post Demo:• Provided access to system for testing

Result: • Did not hear, assume lost

Case 5: Fragrance importer/exporterPreparation:

• Discovery included key points, high level flows

Demo:

• 50% demo, 50% discovery

• Team was very engaged in the process

After Demo:

• Proposed solution to consignment sales

Result:

• Lost – competitor discount

Case 6: Boot Supplier

Preparation:

• Simple discovery – financials only

Demo 1:

• Showed financials, mostly out of the box

Demo 2:

• Payroll demo (mid-June)

Result:

• Lost – functionality/price

Case 7: On Demand Artwork

Preparation:

• Discovery included key points, high level flows

Demo:

• 50% demo, 50% discovery

• Team was very engaged in the process – suggesting ways to do things that they needed

After Demo:

• Provided information on configurator

Result:

• Nearing close

Case 8: Magazine Distributor

Preparation:

• Partner provided 4 page Word doc with key data (budget, needs, timeframe, key points, etc.)

• Partner reviewed document in detail on prep call

Demo:

• Acumatica showed generic items (partner’s first demo)

• Partner showed customizations for client’s environment!!

Result:

• Open, with verbal ‘go ahead’