Adding value to your customer relationships

The last three Inside Sales articles have explored ways to become more valuable to the clients you serve. The primary goal is to become a true partner with clients. Once you have established yourself as an extension of their practice you can comfortably create conversations about sales that generate even more loyalty to you and your company.
By now, you are proficient in knowing what is important to your customers and when it is important. You know how to acknowledge your customers and their frame of mind, and empower them through information. You are ready to move to the next level of conversation. This next level is often the most troublesome for many inside sales reps: making recommendations for the purpose of sales.
You have been focusing on your ability to better serve your customers. This must continue to be your goal as you learn to make sales recommendations. The intent of the sale is the first thing that needs to be analyzed. Why are you attempting to sell more products to your customers? Does it fit a need that the clinic may have today? Does it provide an opportunity for added value later for the client? Does it make sense for this specific client? Will this prevent a competitor from servicing this customer today or later?
Credibility
Customer relationships are resumes in this industry. A client that has accepted you as an extension of their practice has paid you the highest compliment any inside or outside sales rep can obtain. You cannot jeopardize this relationship by overselling. Your credibility is at risk if you just try to sell for the sake of making a sale. However, sometimes a sale can benefit customers. These are the only times that you should be using your skills as a communicator and your position as a “practice partner” to influence customer decisions. Some sales may require a customer to purchase more product than they had originally intended. Other sales may be the simple act of recommending a product that will complement a product that they have already requested. It is your job to know the direct benefit for that particular client.

Leading, from an early age
Leading a sale is a skill. Have you ever convinced someone to do something “your way”? Getting your way is something that everyone practices as a small child. In the early stages it is a very self-serving process. As you develop skills, you learned that you can influence almost any situation as long as there is a “win/win” scenario involved. When you are asked to sell a certain product or promotion, you should first understand the purpose for the sale, because this affects both customers and your company. Attempting to find the purpose on your own provides only half of the information that you need. Sales filters are a series of questions that you must answer before you can successfully have a conversation where you are leading a sale. The following are some questions you may use as sales filters that will enable you to be very effective in any sales situation.

“Does it fit a need that they may have today?”
Why are you detailing this product or promotion? In order for a product or promotional focus to fit a need for a clinic today, it must be something that the clinic is interested in. Does the sales focus fit the season? Does the focus fit the individual customer’s product preference? Attempting to answer those questions prior to making a call or starting a conversation will allow you to be prepared with a personalized description of the product or promotion. Explaining the benefits as you see them is your job. The conversation can only be effective if the direct benefits are explained to the client. Detailing a promotion or a product is one thing, but telling your client why you feel it’s important to them is an entirely different conversation. The actual answer to these questions must come from the client.
“Does this enhance the relationship between my company and my client?”
Many promotions are based on products that the client may already use, but may have volume requirements that are higher than the customer’s immediate usage needs. Many of these promotions come with delayed billing terms or free goods as motivators for the client to take more than their immediate need dictates. Other promotions may couple a complimentary or “synergistic” product with a product that the customer already uses. This is often referred to as bundling. Does this provide an opportunity that the customer isn’t aware of? Can you provide a value that your competitors cannot? Answering these two questions prior to detailing your customers is important. Providing a level of service that delivers added value is also important. Maybe you are the first to detail the promotion or you have a promotion that is unique in the market. Providing that value to the customer may bring another level of respect to the relationship. It is important to bring the information to the client so that they can decide the value and relate it back to you. Your job is to provide the detail and the reasons that you thought that it may be important as their partner.
Providing the details of a sales promotion to your customers is not as difficult as it may seem. You know what they need, and when they need it. You acknowledge their position on any topic, and empower them to make their own decisions. Detailing a sales promotion simply becomes an extension of your existing relationship. Use the sales information that you possess to provide extra value for your clients. Allow them to make purchasing decisions on information that their partner has delivered to them.

Todd Brodersen has more than 16 years of experience in the animal health industry, specifically in executive level sales and marketing management. Todd has first-hand knowledge in conceptualizing and implementing best practices in sales, marketing, distribution, and procurement. Todd operates Same Page Consulting, Inc. out of his hometown of Omaha, Neb.