Sales Needs Systems
Last summer, we featured an analysis from Todd Miller on a topic discussed at the annual Metal Roofing Summit: creating a sales system for your company. He specifically emphasized the importance of a systematized sales presentation, which we’ve implemented for our dealers and at our retail operation, too.
“A systematized sales presentation analyzes a homeowner’s needs and desires and then presents alternatives. It strikes a balance between a logical/technical standpoint and an emotional one, resulting in the best possible option.”
-Todd Miller
For our use, we chose Ingage, a platform where you can create a beautiful presentation with a focus on interactivity through photos, videos, and links. Then, you can share your creations with your sales team on the web or send them straight to their device.
Just a few months ago, we interviewed a sales expert of 40 years, Jim Pancero, on his opinions of sales systems and their applications in today’s technology-driven world. You can check out the full episode here, but Jim had a great quote I want to highlight.
Jim said, “Selling is not an art. It is a structured science. Now, when it’s done right, it looks artful, but it’s not this free form, taking a blank canvas and painting a new picture for each customer. We can’t afford that inefficiency today. We need to have structures and processes to make us both more efficient and more effective in getting it done.”
On first read, this might contradict the idea that we should listen to every customer in-depth for a better understanding of their problem. But after a second pass, Jim is really saying that we should be prepared for every sale with a system we can apply to the individual customer and their situation.
People function well with systems. Having a guided path to take customers on means you won’t forget crucial steps or important details along the way. When you provide your sales team with an excellent framework, they can adapt to each prospect.
We should be careful not to overly romanticize the smooth-talking expert salesperson who has a magic touch with every customer and oozes charm in every interaction. Training and applying a carefully crafted system will prove much more achievable and sustainable for your sales team. Avoid relying on ‘secret sauce.’ Instead, track your results and measure your performance for an accurate picture of your efforts, all with a sales system in place.
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
You may pull quotes from this article provided you include a link back to the original article on this site. You may not reprint this full article, or even a significant amount of the article, without explicit permission. To gain permission, click here.
Leave a Reply