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- [00:02]
John Kaplan
You need to understand when to be technical, you need to understand when to be business oriented, and you need to be good at both.
- [00:14]
Podcast Host Intro/Outro
You're listening to the Audible Ready podcast, the show that helps you and your teams sell more faster. We'll feature sales leaders sharing their best insights on how to create a sales engine that helps you fuel repeatable revenue growth. Presented by the team at Force Management, a leader in B2B sales effectiveness. Let's get started.
- [00:33]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Hello and welcome to the Audible Ready Sales podcast. I'm Rachel Clapp Miller. We have a good one today. John Kaplan joins me. Hi, John.
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John Kaplan
Rachel. It's good to be here.
- [00:42]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Yes, I know you love this topic, John.
- [00:44]
John Kaplan
I do.
- [00:45]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Today I want to talk about selling technical, complicated solutions and how you can be successful as a sales rep selling to experts, so to speak. A lot of times we may be hired by a company and we're selling to new buyers or selling a new solution in an industry that we aren't as familiar with, or we're selling to buyers who are experts in their field and we have to show up in a way that shows we have an informed point of view. I feel this sometimes when I do our proof points or testimonial interviews with our customers who are selling really great solutions that solve big problems, but they're complicated. I got to ramp myself up sometimes and it can be intimidating place for a new seller at company.
- [01:28]
John Kaplan
Yeah, I, I think this is such a great, such a great topic. And when, when you find yourself in this position, it can be really difficult. And I remember, Rachel, when, when I left Xerox years ago in the 90s and joined a company called PTC, I had never sold software before and I, I wasn't an engineer and I was immediately put in a space where I was selling software to engineers. And thank God that I worked for a company that had really great enablement and I was able to really take advantage of that and position it to that learning very, very powerfully. But it can be intimidating when you find yourself a little off balance. But we're through this conversation today. We want to help you get really, really balanced quickly.
- [02:28]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Yeah. So let's, let's talk about approaching this challenge first. You're likely relying on your company's enablement to get yourself grounded. And it may be, it may be great. You may find yourself wishing there was a little bit more there. But when I, as a seller, when you're taking that information in that they're giving you, what am I looking for?
- [02:50]
John Kaplan
Yeah, I think, I think what you're looking for, you know, the key components that will matter to these buyers or experts that I'm going to be speaking to. So I want to. I'm constantly looking to make it just more about them and to understand them. And I want to know not just about the features and functions and differentiation that matters about the product. I need to understand the challenges that the buyer is facing. I need to be able to sit in the seat of the buyer. So what are the key problems that we're solving? You need to have a good understanding of that, you know, at a business level, make sure the enablement process is giving that to you. That's the most important thing. So what is the business problems that you're solving and who cares most about them? That's the first thing that I would focus on.
- [03:44]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Yeah. What business problems are you solving first? That's your uber level cut through the noise step. Right. Then it's really how you solve those problems. And this is where reps may overwhelm themselves or maybe get in the weeds on those technical features. How do they rise above the noise here?
- [04:05]
John Kaplan
Well, if you understand the problems that you're solving, then you need to dig in and understand the implications of those problems. And we call those negative consequences. So I want you to just sit with this for a minute. And so when you find out this is a problem or challenge that your customer is experiencing, I want you to write down on a piece of paper, so what? With a question mark, so what? So next you have to understand how, how big of a problem that is. And then you want to understand your differentiation and focus on getting that into the decision criteria. So first you're understanding the problems, then you're understanding the implications of those problems. Then you should be looking to understand what decision criteria should be in place to solve those problems. And then you should influence that decision criteria with your differentiation. Those are pretty good steps to really, really get grounded on.
- [05:05]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Yeah, just it's a great way to think through them and break them down. I mean, there is a right time to get in the weeds on the features with your customers. Those are important. We are not saying that that's not important. It's something when. The timing on when you should do that is really something that your company sales process should be telling you, but at a high level. John, what's your guidelines here?
- [05:29]
John Kaplan
Well, I like how you highlighted that, Rachel, because I think that there's also some people that don't get in the weeds enough and they don't know when to get in the weeds. So so let's be clear, in this podcast, there is a time to get in the weeds, and there's a time to rise above the weeds. There's an old saying that, that we share a lot on these podcasts is you get delegated to those that you sound like. So you need to get technical with technical people. And really what you're doing is you're influencing decision criteria with your differentiation. You got to know the products and services, you got to know the technical problems that you solve. You have to understand the decision, the technical decision criteria around that, and you got to understand the technical differentiation. And then you got to get business focused with business people. This is where you're attaching to the biggest business issue. Those are two real critical skills that you have to be really, really good at. So get technical with technical people, get business oriented with business oriented people. It's not either or, it's how and when.
- [06:38]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Great point, great point. And another instance when, especially if you're like new to a company and you're getting your skis under you, this is another instance, John, where we need to feel empowered to use the internal resources that are available to us.
- [06:55]
John Kaplan
Yeah. So if we just talk about some of those skill sets that we just said, you know, attach to the biggest business issue, make sure you understand how to do that. You know, if you don't understand what the biggest business issues are, go back to your company and make sure that you understand what are the implications of this technical challenge? How does it impact the business? And what typically are companies trying to do from a business outcome perspective? There are people inside your company that understand this very, very well. There are marketing people, product marketing people, your sales management team. So if you're not clear on what that is and how to do that, seek them out for sure. And then we talked about influencing decision criteria with your differentiation there. This is, this is the technical part of the job that you do. You have to make sure that you understand your technical differentiation. Why does it matter to a customer? How is it different or better than what the rest of the world does? And where have we done it before? From a company perspective, all this information, again, should be available for you inside your company. You gotta go find it. Start with your manager and just explain. If you're struggling to attach to the biggest business issue, just call it out, don't try to hide it, just call it out. If you're struggling with influencing decision criteria with your differentiation, don't try to hide it, call it out and ask for help. I was just on A conversation this morning, Rachel, where I said to somebody, it's okay not to know the answer to what we're talking about, but it's not okay not to be doing anything about it. And once I said that to the person I was speaking to this morning, it just kind of opened it up. It was, let's not waste a lot of time trying to kid each other about what we know or don't know. Let's establish that right up front and let me coach you or help you and develop you and get you the information you need. It's a really, really mature way to go about your job.
- [08:55]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Yeah. It's also a much more comfortable way. Rather than sitting there faking it, just be honest with what you don't know so you can understand it in the future.
- [09:06]
John Kaplan
Yeah. This is one of those times, Rachel, where, you know, they tell you a lot, hey, fake it till you make it. You don't want to do that here. You don't want to do that with your sales management team. You don't want to do that with your, you know, with your learning and development. You don't want to fake it till you make it. You really want to, you know, be clear and open and honest about what you know and what you don't know and let others around you coach you. Those are really, really great scenarios. Scenarios. Some of my favorite scenarios in growing up and selling are some of the greatest teachers and coaches that I work for along. Along the way in these companies.
- [09:48]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Yeah. And, you know, I think, too, when I. When I have, like, come far in my career, it's always been starting from a place where I've said, I don't know how to do this. Can you help me?
- [10:02]
John Kaplan
I mean, that's right.
- [10:04]
Rachel Clapp Miller
You slow down just to speed up sometimes. Okay, John, let's wrap up with the bottom line. I'm curious what you have to say here.
- [10:11]
John Kaplan
Well, I think the most elite reps position themselves right in the middle of what we've been talking about. So you have to position yourself in the middle between technical issues and business outcomes. And I want you to think about, you got both of your arms out to the side, and one side, you're grabbing technical issues. On the other side, you're grabbing business outcomes. And you're bringing them with both hands right in front of your body and clasping both of your hands. That's a really, really great visual for you today. That's what the most elite sellers do. They connect technical issues to business outcomes. And this is a must if you want to rise above the noise or get get out of the weeds. This is what you need to do. You need to understand when to be technical, you need to understand when to be business oriented, and you need to be good at both.
- [11:04]
Rachel Clapp Miller
That's it. That's it. Thank you, John.
- [11:06]
John Kaplan
You're welcome.
- [11:08]
Rachel Clapp Miller
All right. And thank you to all of you for listening to Audible Ready Sales Podcast. We are publishing more content like the content you hear on this podcast on our new subscription platform, Ascender.
- [11:18]
John Kaplan
Please.
- [11:19]
Rachel Clapp Miller
Plans start at just 120 bucks a year. That breaks down to $10 a month. Come join us, see what all the fuss is about. You can learn more at Ascender Co.
- [11:27]
Force Management Announcer
At Force Management, we're focused on transforming sales organizations into elite teams. Our proven methodologies deliver programs that build company alignment and fuel repeatable revenue growth. Give your teams the ability to execute the growth strategy at the point of sale. Our strength is is our experience. The proof is in our results. Let's get started. Visit us@force management.com you've been listening to.
- [11:53]
Podcast Host Intro/Outro
The Audible Ready Podcast. To not miss an episode, subscribe to the show in your favorite podcast player. Until next time.