Build a Successful Sales

Strategy
Presented to KCL
by
Jurek Sikorski
Entrepreneur in Residence, LBS
Independent Business Advisor
Business Mentor

Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Coming up...
What is (and why have) a sales strategy?

Key elements of a sales strategy

The Selling Process

‘Sales Value Proposition’

How to build a successful sales strategy

Ask the Panel

Build a Successful Sales Strategy
What is a sales strategy?...

A plan to achieve the sales goal of a

business

Describes how a business will win,

retain and develop customers...

A blueprint for success

Build a successful sales strategy

What does a sales strategy do?…

‘Defines the selling activities and

allocates resources to deliver the
sales goal of the business…’

Build a successful sales strategy

Why have a sales strategy?

‘Without a sales strategy the

company’s customer facing people
will struggle to obtain the focus
needed for successful selling’

‘every organisation needs a sales strategy’

Build a successful sales strategy

A sales strategy addresses common
business challenges
Slow, stagnant or declining sales revenues

Merger of sales forces after an acquisition

Start-up of a new venture

New product introductions

Launch of a new competitor

Expansion to new markets

Build a successful sales strategy

Key elements of a sales strategy?…
1. Goal and Objectives
• What is the goal of your business? e.g. ‘We want to become the UK’s leading
supplier of hybrid power generators by sales within 3 years’
• What are the objectives that when achieved will deliver the goal?
2. Target Market
• Who is your target customer group?... What /How/Why… do they buy?
• Who is the person you are selling to? What are the specific needs…?

3. Products/Services
• What are you selling to the target market? Why would the customer buy…?
• What is your sales value proposition?... Customers buy only two things…

4. Competitive Advantages
• Who are your competitors? What are their strengths/weaknesses?...
• What are your competitive advantages ? How are you better, cheaper, faster?
Build a successful sales strategy
Key elements of a sales strategy?…
5. Route to market
• How will you reach the customer? e.g. direct and/or channel partners…
• What direct route will you use? e.g. sales, telesales, trade shows, internet

6. Selling Process
• What are your selling activities? e.g. prospecting, engaging/presenting…
• How will you maximise success during the ‘critical hour’ in front of customer?

7. Resources, Skills and Capabilities

• What resources (e.g. sales time, money), skills (i.e. selling) and capabilities
(e.g. sales planning, key account management ) are required to sell?
• How will you develop and improve skills… e.g. selling skills training…?

8. Sales Management
• How is the sales target set, sales performance reviewed… coaching provided?
• What performance incentives are provided? e.g. bonus scheme
Build a successful sales strategy
What is selling about?...
 Helping the customer to buy
 Helping the customer to make up his mind
based upon the satisfaction of his needs…
 Selling is about creating a ‘win-win’ for
you and the customer
 Selling is not so much about shifting
product as winning… customers
Successful selling is about asking
the right questions…
How customer orientation works!
HomeTouch

In the UK over 700k older people live in

need of domestic help An online introductory care services agency

Need Benefit Feature

Seek help with everyday
tasks such as washing,
cooking and shopping and
also find relief from
loneliness and isolation
Offers help to elderly
people who struggle with
everyday tasks around the
home enabling them to
remain independent and
relieving isolation and
loneliness…
HomeTouch is an on line
care services agency which
enables elderly people
living in London and
needing help with domestic
tasks to find and book
trusted carers

‘Don’t sell me a care service… help me with my washing,

cooking and shopping… help me live independently’
Selling is a key activity of
your business model...
Key Partners
International resellers
Plant and hire firms
Battery and power inverter
suppliers
Electronic circuits suppliers
Investors
Facility landlord
Cost Structure
Cost of sales (<50%)
Salaries (£zk pa)
Off grid solar/hybrid power generation industry
Key Activities Value Proposition Customer Relationships Customer Segments
Designing, manufacturing Range of peak power
Personal
and supplying generators outputs Construction and Plant
Hire firms – need to
Marketing and selling Reliable power delivery User network service client projects
Recruitment and training Silent operation
Co-development Event and Broadcast
of resellers
Zero/reduced CO2 organisers – need a
Key Resources pollution Channels source of reliable power
that is non polluting at an
Working capital Portable Sales team affordable cost
Technical/commercial staff International Aid agencies
Simple Resellers
– develop and market – Need robust power
installation/commissioning
generation solutions at a
Knowledge and expertise DFID, Aid Agencies low cost
Range of purchase options
Revenue Streams
Facility (£xk pa) Price set at £x FOB Gross Margin: min. 50%
Revenue £1.8m rising to
Marketing (£yk pa)
over £25m by year 5
Business Model Generation: Alexander Osterwalder & YvesPigneur
2010
The ‘Selling Process’
A communication and learning experience
Salesperson learns the needs of the customer
and the customer learns whether the product
will meet needs
Characterised by nine activities that are
directed at winning customers
Successful management of the selling
process requires good analytical,
communication, decision making, and
organisational skills...
 The activities of the selling process…
1. Prospecting: generating sales leads

2. Classifying leads: identifying leads with largest revenue potential…

3. Developing a sales plan: setting plan for a specific customer

4. Making the approach: connecting via intros, invites and cold calling

5. Engaging the customer: pitching your sales value proposition

6. Trial closing: Early attempt to close a sale

7. Overcoming objections: Removing barriers to making a sale

8. Closing: Asking for the order

9. Following up: Delivering product and keeping the customer happy

Ten ways of generating sales leads

Ways of generating leads

1. Seek referrals from present satisfied users e.g. Balfour Beatty, Coca Cola Enterprises

2. Ask channel partners e.g. Speedy Hire

3. Attend conferences and exhibitions e.g. Renewable UK Annual Conference

4. Engage web marketing and social networks

5. Register and advertise with trade associations e.g. Construction Plant Hire Association
Ten ways of generating sales leads
Ways of generating leads
6. Publicise your business via news media e.g. Forbes, Guardian, Telegraph, Evening
Standard, City AM; retain a PR firm - check out www.prweek.com
7. Post offers of information/product trial for limited period on your website

8. Visit potential customers (e.g. Brandon) and influencers

9. Partner to stage promotion events e.g. Speedy Hire

Be imaginative
10. Engage Telemarketing e.g. The Telemarketing Company
in finding ways
to generate
leads
Engaging the Customer
A crucial step in the selling process
Beginning of a two-way communication between the
salesperson and the customer… critical hour
This is the pitch to capture attention, develop interest
of the customer, raise desire and evoke action
Aiming to win customer acceptance of the
The selling model
sales value proposition
Selling benefits is what moves the A – Attention
customer to buy… I – Interest
The sales value proposition must feature D – Desire
prominently in the sales strategy A – Action
Sales Value Proposition
A benefits statement that fulfills the needs of
customers and creates value - needs to answer the key
questions...
Differentiates product/service from competition
Dramatically improves marketability of
product/service...
A powerful branding tool that supports the sales
strategy through marketing communications e.g.
advertisements, website, social media
Forges a lasting reputation that raises customer
awareness... and enables sales
A Winning Sales Value Proposition

‘Cygnus is a clean energy storage

solution that delivers dependable off
grid power, reduces emissions and
saves fuel and logistics costs...’
How to build a successful
sales strategy?

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

Engage the Describe the Create the Prepare Launch/
customer current ‘Sales sales monitor
facing situation Strategy strategy progress
team Canvas’ statement and adapt
Sales Strategy Canvas
Sales Goal Target Market (Customer)
- Year: £Xm - Construction firms, events organisers, aid agencies
- Q: £ym/£zm - CEO, FD, PM
- Direct/Distributor - Customer seeking dependable power and lower costs

Route Competitive Advantages Products/Services

- CEO - Reliable power delivery - Cygnus range
- Sales team (5) - Reduced pollution - Sale/rent/lease
- Distributors - Lower fuel & logistics costs - ‘Sales Value Proposition’

Selling Resources and skills Sales Management

- F2F - Time and money - Meet on Monday (9-10.30)
- Exhibitions - Marketing literature - Review key sales metrics
- Web marketing - Skills training - ‘On the job’ coaching

A UK based manufacturer of hybrid power generators

Sales Strategy
Reach £200m in sales by 2020
- continuing to deliver a strong ‘sales value proposition’ that is based on a customised service for
both retailers and shoppers

- building direct channels and personal relationships with an expanded number of top tier
national retailers

- creating a shopper community and become more engaged with shoppers through its fashion
blog and ‘shopper events’

- establishing new customer acquisition channels and leveraging existing channels in particular
social media to attract shoppers to its website

- building automated services for retailers and shoppers via its website

- opening new revenues streams including subscription fee based premium

services for shoppers

- accessing new geographical markets including North America and Middle East
Meet the panel
Nitzan Yudan
Co–Founder and CEO
FlatClub

Tim Brownstone
Founder and CEO
KYMIRA

Jonathan Smith
Co-Founder and CEO
Pobble Education
Asked the panel to address five
questions...
What is your sales strategy?

What was/is your biggest challenge about

selling?

What surprised you most?

What has been your learning experience?

What are your top three tips for someone

developing a sales strategy
Further reading
1. ‘How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life: Revised and Updated for the Digital
Age’ by Michael Le Boeuf (August 2000)

2. ‘High Performance Sales Strategies: Powerful Ways to Win New Business’ by Russell
Ward (Oct 2013)

3. Getting to Yes: Negotiating an agreement without giving in by Roger Fisher and William
Ury (Jun 2012)

4. Purple Cow by Seth Godin (November 2009)

5. Traction: A start-up guide to getting customers Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares
(August 2014)

6. Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into a Sales Machine with the $100 Million
Best Practices of Salesforce.com by Aaron Ross and Marylou Tyler (July 2011)
Jurek Sikorski
Email: j.sikorski@btinternet.com
Mob: 07889 720735
LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/jureksikorski