“To follow up to last week’s question and answer, how I can coach my references?” Brett
Brett, good follow up question on referencing. The previous post is Competitor's Reference. Reference selling is one of my favorite ways to sell and the more references you have the better. I am going to assume you have references. If you don’t have references and you are selling a mature solution, I recommend you work with your management team on developing references and check out my post from March on No References. Below is advice for increasing the value of your current references.
My first recommendation is for you to better understand your clients / reference accounts. How they are using your solutions? Which product and services are they using? What aren’t they doing? What level in the organization is your reference? How is your reference as a presenter and / or on the phone? What they like and don’t like about your solution? Are they progressive? Are they having problems you are not aware of? What are their next steps with your solution? Is the organization a leader in their industry? Then you need to objectively evaluate your reference. Additionally, when you have multiple references this information will assist you with matching the appropriate reference with your prospect.
The next step is to review how you can help your reference accounts better use your solutions. I find my best reference accounts continue to invest our solutions. If you are not as fortunate, you may need to work with your management team on discounting or giving your reference accounts products, services, or consulting to help with better take advantage of your offering. If you have lots of reference accounts you may want to have a smaller number of reference accounts, so you can have focused references. I would evaluate if you are matching up your references with the appropriate level for example, if your prospect is a CEO, an analyst at the right reference account may not produce a good reference and vice versa.
Lastly, I would work with the reference accounts. Review what they are saying to prospects. They may not be aware of your latest offerings and / or you may need to coach them to focus on certain areas of your offering. If they do site visits, I assume you or someone from your company goes with the prospect on the site visit. For on-sites, I recommend a strong agenda and flow to the visit, seeing your solution in action, Q&A, and meeting other departments including management. If possible have dinner the night before with your client and the prospect. Are you preparing your client with what the prospect is looking for during the reference calls?
For your top reference accounts, investigate how you can work together in a true partnership beyond taking reference calls. Can you do joint presentations? Can your PR firm help get them published? Can they assist you with development projects? Will they test your beta applications? Can you assist your client with industry recognition? How can you help your client with consulting, discounts, sponsoring their events, working with their clients? There are many ways to successfully partner with your clients.
Good Referencing and let us know how it goes! Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give additional Brett information on 'References’ and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun P
Brett, good follow up question on referencing. The previous post is Competitor's Reference. Reference selling is one of my favorite ways to sell and the more references you have the better. I am going to assume you have references. If you don’t have references and you are selling a mature solution, I recommend you work with your management team on developing references and check out my post from March on No References. Below is advice for increasing the value of your current references.
My first recommendation is for you to better understand your clients / reference accounts. How they are using your solutions? Which product and services are they using? What aren’t they doing? What level in the organization is your reference? How is your reference as a presenter and / or on the phone? What they like and don’t like about your solution? Are they progressive? Are they having problems you are not aware of? What are their next steps with your solution? Is the organization a leader in their industry? Then you need to objectively evaluate your reference. Additionally, when you have multiple references this information will assist you with matching the appropriate reference with your prospect.
The next step is to review how you can help your reference accounts better use your solutions. I find my best reference accounts continue to invest our solutions. If you are not as fortunate, you may need to work with your management team on discounting or giving your reference accounts products, services, or consulting to help with better take advantage of your offering. If you have lots of reference accounts you may want to have a smaller number of reference accounts, so you can have focused references. I would evaluate if you are matching up your references with the appropriate level for example, if your prospect is a CEO, an analyst at the right reference account may not produce a good reference and vice versa.
Lastly, I would work with the reference accounts. Review what they are saying to prospects. They may not be aware of your latest offerings and / or you may need to coach them to focus on certain areas of your offering. If they do site visits, I assume you or someone from your company goes with the prospect on the site visit. For on-sites, I recommend a strong agenda and flow to the visit, seeing your solution in action, Q&A, and meeting other departments including management. If possible have dinner the night before with your client and the prospect. Are you preparing your client with what the prospect is looking for during the reference calls?
For your top reference accounts, investigate how you can work together in a true partnership beyond taking reference calls. Can you do joint presentations? Can your PR firm help get them published? Can they assist you with development projects? Will they test your beta applications? Can you assist your client with industry recognition? How can you help your client with consulting, discounts, sponsoring their events, working with their clients? There are many ways to successfully partner with your clients.
Good Referencing and let us know how it goes! Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give additional Brett information on 'References’ and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun P
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