Paciolan Systems, Inc. and ADP Dealer Services

BEFORE CUSTOMERS BUY, THEY MUST BUY-IN

Traditional sales techniques may work once, but how do you develop the strong customer relationship that ensures first time and repeat sales? Earning the customer’s confidence, trust, and agreement, known as “buy-in,” is key to increased sales performance.

Brett Miles, Milestones, Inc.’s specialist in sales management and sales training, defines buy-in as a state in which a person agrees to or accepts an idea, feeling or action. To reach buy-in, a person goes through a process of trusting, being understood, and deciding to agree.

As in other personal relationships, developing your customer relationship is an ongoing process with several important interim levels. First, the customer must achieve buy-in with the sales person. The second level buy-in is with your company, and the third level buy-in involves acceptance of your product or service.

Paciolan Systems inc., a Milestones, Inc. client, provides turnkey ticketing systems to major entertainment and sports venues nationwide. With an average sale of $200,000, Paciolan’s salespeople must interact with numerous individuals within a customer’s organization during a sales cycle that may last as long as 18 months. “Achieving buy-in is critical for us due to the complexity of our sales effort,” says Jane Kleinberger, president of Paciolan. “and because our systems are instruments for the future, it’s important to maintain buy-in with our customers.”

ASK QUESTIONS FIRST, SELL LATER
“Who? What? How? And When?” are the essential questions in the buy-in process, most often in that sequence. “Who?” means understanding the customer’s values and motivators. Understanding is achieved by asking questions that reveal the customer’s motivations. Some of the most effective questions are developed by using behavioral assessment tools such as those offered by Milestones, Inc. The answers help you understand the customer and the process keeps you focused on the customer instead of on yourself. That means you’re listening closely to the customer, which in turn strengthens the customer’s confidence and trust in you.

“What?” means understanding the customer’s objectives or wants. Then you, through your products and services, can help the customer achieve his or her own goals.

“How?” and “When?” comprise the action plan you present for meeting your customer’s needs. If you have listened closely, you will be able to suggest a solution in a way that allows the customer to “own the idea.” “Brett Miles teaches buy-in by living it,” says Kleinberger. “Rather than simply present solutions to you, he works through them with you and allows you to come to your own conclusions.”

BUY-IN BEGINS AT HOME
Buy-in is also important among the members of a sales team. Dennis Kenny is Northwest director of sales for ADP Dealer Services, a provider of computerized systems for auto dealerships. When Kenny was relocated to Oregon to head a sales force that had been operating without a manager, he asked Brett Miles to coach his staff.

Kenny’s initial goal was to achieve buy-in with his salespeople. “At first they saw it as just another program the boss wanted to do,” says Kenny. “Brett’s coaching helped me to break down barriers and establish a level of trust that enhanced performance. “

Coaching also helped create a common language that allowed Kenny “to see things through the salesperson’s eyes.” He could then better advise his salespeople on how to achieve buy-in with ADP’s customers. “Auto dealers are skeptical by nature,” said Kenny, “so building trust is critical.”

Before the training, Kenny’s salespeople were last in sales performance in the nationwide company. In five months, they shot to first place and are maintaining their winning ways. That kind of success helps convince even the most conservative sales professionals that buy-in works. In other words, they buy-in to buy-in.