¿Cómo gestiona ciclos de ventas complejos y largos en la venta de soluciones?

Some of the old tools are still the best in my opinion, BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing) is good for a quick and dirty qualification process or another one is SCOTSMAN (Solution, Competition, Originality, Time Scales, Size, Money, Authority, Need) for a slightly deeper dive... It all depends on the type and complexity of deal...Compelling events are extremely important, existing relationships with the client, third party advisor relationships, personal agendas of the key decision makers and even a joint signed off get-to-contract 'close plan' are all key elements to consider when qualifying a long complex sales cycle deal

While complex sales are common in B2B sales environments, a B2C transaction can also be “complex.” Home buying is a good example — it's a large transaction with a lengthy deliberation. B2C transactions also require approval from multiple decision-makers (agents, lenders, family members, etc.) before closing. Tips for closing: 1 Identify your ideal customer profile. ... 2 Research and map your stakeholders. ... 3 Develop and execute your sales strategy. ... 4 Build trust and rapport with your stakeholders. ... 5 Negotiate and close the deal.

The critical factor in complex, long sales cycles in solution selling is a strategic approach. This typically includes: - Deep qualification: check for a firm fit early on with a thorough needs analysis. - Value-based selling clearly articulates the solution's ROI and impact on the customer's business. - Stakeholder mapping: identify and build relationships with all key decision-makers and influencers. - Content marketing: provide valuable content that educates and nurtures prospects throughout the journey.   - Consistent communication: maintain regular contact with personalised updates and address concerns proactively. - Sales process/tools: use CRM and sales methodologies to track progress, manage tasks, and ensure consistent follow-up.

In terms of Solution Selling, it generally starts out with the identification and exploration of the customer's Latent Pain (before BANT). It's important to assist the prospective customer with a Gap Analysis to accurately determine their need. You want to initiate BANT from a position of best few before the customer is already looking for solutions.

If you're using MEDDPICC habitually, this shouldn't be a problem. BANT is not suitable for complex deals and should remain mostly in the MQL phase. A suitable qualification considers all the moving parts and focuses on the customer's priorities, processes and more, so it helps you identify gaps. This is where MEDDPICC some in, to many this appears overly cumbersome but it really isn't.

Discovery can help build a strong proof of value, as some prospects may not see the return. Although I believe there are two parts to the discovery phase. Your MQL drops into Qualification and becomes an SQL as it moves to discovery, there is a commercial discovery element but there is a consultative discovery (typically pre-sales/solution consultant/architecture) function that will synthesize the commercial with the current state (people, process, technology) to get a holistic view of where the customer can realise maximum return on your solution and where the pain can be solved and benefits played out in more detail. This work will help build the business case if one doesn't exist alongside the proof of value.

I have found that differentiation is important, but can really be bolstered by demonstrated ROI. It's enhancing the "this is why we're great" explanation with "and this is why that's great for you."

With the right level of discovery, there is differentiation through correctly aligning your proposition against solving the prospect's challenges and/or delivering against their requirements and objectives. You should certainly call out key differentiations if you know the competitive landscape. Otherwise I think what will differentiate you is demonstrating your rock-solid understanding of the prospects' situation, pain and desired future state.

Follow up cadence and pace is critical but one could argue that closing to an agreed next step can somewhat negate the reliance on followup. Sales should be driving the opportunity and the timelines. Solid Go-Live plans work well to keep a DMC on track in your process and enable you to essentially keep on top of the opportunity pipeline. If you can get your decision makers to buy into the go-live plan you can more efficiently drive them and the process using the timelines. Customer priorities change and DMs can get sidetracked, seeking and understanding their timelines and capturing this helps keep the cadence. But don't rely on it alone - keeping yourself top of mind with value, insight and follow up is still important.

Solution selling and the value based selling approach is the most effective way to sell, especially since Covid. However it seems that sales people struggle with this type of sales because they have to truly take time to be intentional, purposeful and patient. The hardest step for most is the discovery. Once they think or truly may have qualified, truly continuing to be curious and ask questions to understand all that is involved. What is the true root of the problem? Who are the stakeholders? Do the need to be engaged and when? What happens or is the impact if there is no change? How does this fit in the priority list? What’s the win for your champion? These are just a few examples.