inside the customer's purchase decision: collaborative sales and marketing strategies to steer...

Inside the Customer’s Purchase Decision

Collaborative Sales and Marketing Strategies to Steer Today’s Buying Behavior

© 2011 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.


Reluctant Customers

Customer’s time horizon

extended

Contact turnover stabilized

Customers open to new

ideas

The Good

321

Customer spending still

down

Price pressure still significant

The Bad

4 5

Customers using

consultants to drive purchase

Customers demanding increased

customization

Customers pushing risk

onto suppliers

Consensus requirements

expanding

The Ugly

6 7 8 9

Key Drivers of Customer LoyaltyPe

rcen

tage

of C

ontr

ibuti

on to

Cus

tom

er L

oyal

ty

Company and Brand

Impact

Product and Service De-

livery

Value-to-Price Ratio

Sales Ex-perience

53%

9%

19%

19%

Representative Sales Drivers of Customer Loyalty

• Offers unique, valuable perspectives on the market

• Helps me navigate alternatives

• Helps me avoid potential land mines

• Educates me on new issues and outcomes

• Supplier is easy to buy from

• Supplier has widespread support across my company


Potential Drivers of Rep High Performance

Sample Attributes Tested

Attitudes• Desire to Seek

Issue Resolution• Willingness to

Risk Disapproval• Accessibility• Goal Motivation• Outcome Focus• Attachment to

the Company• Curiosity• Discretionary

Effort

Skills/Behaviors• Business Acumen• Customer Needs

Assessment• Communication• Use of Internal

Resources• Negotiation• Relationship

Management• Solutions Selling• Teamwork

Activities• Sales Process

Adherence• Evaluation of

Opportunities• Preparation• Lead Generation• Administration

Knowledge• Industry

Knowledge• Product

Knowledge


• Always willing to go the extra mile

• Doesn’t give up easily

• Self-motivated• Interested in

feedback and development

• Always has a different view of the world

• Understands the customer’s business

• Loves to debate• Pushes customers

• Reliably responds to internal and external stakeholders

• Ensures that all problems are solved

• Detail oriented

• Follows own instincts

• Self-assured• Independent

• Builds strong advocates in customer organization

• Generous in giving time to help others

• Gets along with everyone

Hard Worker Challenger Relationship Builder

Lone Wolf Problem Solver

Sales Rep Profiles – Pattern Recognition


Challenger Reps Mostly Likely to Win

The Hard Worker

The Problem Solver

The Rela-tionship Builder

22%

14%

26%

17%

12%

7%

The Challenger The Lone Wolf

23%

15%

39%

25%

Perc

enta

ge o

f Pop

ulati

on

Percentage of Core Performers

Percentage of High Performers


The Challenger Fingerprint

Challenger Rep Behaviors

•Offers unique perspective•Two-way communication skills

•Knows customer value drivers•Can ID economic drivers

• Is comfortable discussing money•Can pressure the customer

Build Constructive Tension

Tailor

TakeControl

Teach


Challengers Excel in Complex Sales

Low Complexity Sale High Complexity Sale

20%

54%25%

25%

26%

10%18%

7%11%4%

Relationship Builder

Problem Solver

Hard Worker

Lone Wolf

Challenger

Perc

enta

ge o

f Tot

al H

igh

Perf

orm

ers


Commercial Teaching Attributes

Lead to Your Unique Strengths

Challenge Customers’ Assumptions

Catalyze Action Scale Across Customers


Anatomy of a Commercial Teaching PitchLe

vel o

f Cus

tom

er E

xcite

men

t

1.Warmer

3.Rational

Drowning

5.A New

Way

6.Our

Solution2.

Reframe

4.Emotional

Impact

Positive

Neutral

Negative


inside the customer's purchase decision: collaborative sales and marketing strategies to steer...

Business

customer value drivers

customer organization

customer loyalty9

new high performerteach

customers business

new way1

new issues

customer needs assessment