Are You Mounting A

Value-Selling Engine On A
Product-Selling Chassis?
Eric Brown
Research Director, Sales Enablement
Scott Santucci
Senior Analyst, Sales Enablement

Sept 17, 2009

 What’s going on?
CEO’s Changes
Strategy In Customers

Dynamic forces
Focus
in the industry… On SGA

are challenging the

Stratifying Buyer/Seller
status-quo… Relationships

forcing a More Lower

key decision… Value Cost

that will fundamentally

Product Marketing Sales
change how you go to
market.
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 Tectonic forces

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 We have a complexity problem

Your future hinges on the conversations

sales has with buyers

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Everyone wants to play in the sales sandbox
Sales methodology and Proposal and oral
Portfolio Sales messaging
training presentations
packaging and positioning
and training
Client-facing Demand
Capability demos/ Account generation and
tools
subject matter segmentation lead Business
Collateral expertise and targeting management case and ROI
proof
Community
marketing
Account Territory planning
discovery and coverage models Prospecting
and strategy programs

Credibility and
Sales
credentials
communications
Sales
Seminars and automation
events Sales guides Win /loss
and analysis
Portfolio playbooks
certification Sales knowledge
Case studies Solution
programs management
and reference presentations
Differentiation (portal)
programs Executive strategy
selling skills Account
Competitive and aides scoring and
Thought leadership qualification
intelligence and
and Influence
positioning
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program
 Random acts are expensive

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 The view from customers

How prepared are salespeople? What makes a meeting valuable?

Executives find salespeople unique and
memorable if they can address both
Company and
88% 65% their business problems and how the
products
vendor can help.

My industry 55%

My role and
How often does this happen?
responsibility 34%
Executives believe that sales meetings
15% usually live up to expectations.
My business
and problems 29%

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 The impact of value-added relationships

What makes a vendor strategic? Do you spend more with

strategic vendors?

Understands our business and

1 culture, as well as how to help 80%
us execute

Focuses on helping us realize

2 46%
an end result
34% 20%

3 Responsiveness 13%
7%

Significantly

Moderately

Somewhat

No
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 Sales engine mechanics
More
?
People

1 Close rate
More
More 2 Cycle time More
?
Products
Profitable
Revenue
3 Deal size
Growth

More
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?
Support
 Levers to optimize the sales engine

1 Close Rate 2 Cycle Time 3 Deal Size

•Sales people are unable

•Understanding of the
to have relevant dialog •Poor negotiations
problem-solving process
with key stakeholders
•Client does not clearly
•Understanding the total
understand how you •Lack of perceived value
solution in clients terms
provide value
•Desperation by
•Capabilities do not meet •Sponsor has difficultly
management to close
needs of targeted market “selling” project internally
quarterly revenue

•Out positioned by •Navigating the •Economic ROI not

competitor “agreement network” effectively established

•Lack of a defensible •Failure to establish •Pricing structure doesn’t

business case urgency align to value received

These goals cannot be achieved solely by sales,

marketing, or product teams alone
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 Focus on outcomes, not deliverables

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 Defining a cross-functional program

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 What does your company look like?
VP VP
CFO CEO
marketing sales

•Reduced waste •Reduced waste •Improved efficiency •Greater transparency

•Greater output •Brand adherence •Improved productivity •Better execution

Product
Brand Demand
Marketing

Business

Operations
Sales
unit THE BUSINESS NEED: channels
Business
•Greater visibility
•Maximize sales throughput Sales
unit channels
•Elevate relationship levels
Business •Improve efficiency Sales
unit •Optimize sales platform

Training
channels
Business
•Accelerate frequency of cross-selling
•Improving margins Sales
unit channels
•More visibility
•Greater mindshare

Strategic sales enablement

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 Establishing a sales enablement program
VP VP
CFO CEO
marketing sales

Charter, Governance, and Measurement

Solution/
HR Finance Brand Demand IT
product

Business

Operations
Sales

Sales communications
unit Programs and tools
Content Repository
channels

Sales portal
Business Sales
unit Standard Common
channels
content Organizing
Business process Construct Sales
unit

Training
channels
Business Continuous research Sales
unit channels
Primary External

Content creation Customer Sales

and management model platform

Fixing the plane while it’s flying

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 Forrester’s research agenda
• For Whom?
– People in sales and marketing who are involved in the sales support ecosystem
• Why Forrester?
– Bring our deep level of access to your buyers and frequency of interaction with your peers to create
a framework to help drive the change from a product to value driven selling model.
• What’s our vision?
– How you sell is emerging as the key differentiator; making the ability for organizations to scale a
customer intimate engagement model and simplify how they add value to customers a strategic
competitive function.
• What do you need to do to be successful?
– Increase sales results while decreasing support costs
– Drive sales and pipeline performance via effective, end-to-end programs
– Focus on buyer needs to increase sales capacity and cut marketing complexity
• How to engage?
– Find us on twitter @scottsantucci, @ericbrown_forr
– Read our blog: http://blogs.forrester.com/tech_sales_enablement/
– Read our reports
– Set up an inquiry
– Bring us in for an advisory session
– Work with us to drive a program

We exist to help make YOU successful

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 Some of our tools…

Transformation Financial
Blueprints Model
Calculators

customer modeling artifacts,

process templates, etc
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 Sign up for our web site, talk to us

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 Thank you
Scott Santucci
+1 617.613.8839
ssantucci@forrester.com
Twitter: @scottsantucci
Eric Brown
+1 617.613.5787
ebrown@forrester.com
Twitter: @ericbrown_forr
Blog: blogs.forrester.com/tech_sales_enablement/
www.forrester.com

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