Thursday, February 23, 2017

Why You Need a PRSP

What's a PRSP? As you probably know, it's shorthand for Proven Repeatable Sales Process. Everybody talks about it, and throws around other business terms like Sales 2.0 and Inbound Marketing. Sheesh! Just keeping up with the trendy lingo can be exhausting, let alone figuring out if any of this stuff applies to you. So does it? Well, the PRSP does, and I'll tell you why.
It makes zero sense to repeat what you know doesn't work. How many sales calls have you and your staff been through? Does anybody keep track of the number of sales in relation to the number of sales calls (sales ratio?) Do your sales people write down the objections they hear in each sales call so they can spot trends, and adapt their sales call? Do some reps have sales that get returned, refunded, or reversed more than others? These are just a few of the ways to monitor what doesn't work.
What do all the sales that stay sold have in common? They had a sales process that worked. The 1) right prospect was asked the 2) right questions, needed 3) a solution you offer, provided with the 4) right information, reminded of the 5) urgency to solve his pain point, and provided a solution at a 6) price they thought was fair. There may have been all kinds of window dressing around it, but if the sale was made and stayed sold, these 6 points were there.
Look at each numbered point. Each one is a spot for a natural objection; it's an opportunity for the conversation to end, or to move forward with more confidence. If your prospects are well qualified, your reps can move easily through the process. If you prospect isn't a qualified buyer, the PRSP uncovers that before the conversation gets awkward, and you can visit them at another time when the fit will be better.
What if your sales reps used this 6 point system consistently, and didn't go off track? I'll tell you - fewer of your sales calls will end up in the weeds. You'd make more sales, and the sales would stay sold. But there's more to it than just copying the sales call of your best guy. Each sales rep and client are different, and you need to be able to frame the conversation and the information to fit each individual.
How do you make it happen? Start with those 6 points. Build a sales call worksheet that is as generic as possible that still fits all 6 points the way they work for your industry. Leave a spot on there to fill in objections, and track and count them. As the objections change and evolve, teach your staff to respond to them with information and confidence. You'll have a solid PRSP in no time!
Elisabeth Marino is an outsourced sales process adviser working in Buffalo, NY, and a frequent contributor to LinkedIn. She has worked in sales development and evaluation for 17 years, and helped dozens of organizations improve their sales numbers. Connect with her here, and follow her on Twitter @SalesDynamoNY.

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