This interview with Fred Copesake is all about modern selling. He is the founder of Brindis, a sales training consultancy. He travelled around the world for 22 years and visited 36 countries to work with 10,000 salespeople. Learn how to address the three challenges based on selling with a collaborative approach. 

Helping sales together to get better is the goal. B2B sales also known as business to business sales. The people involved in a more complex, sophisticated sale would tend to get better results, just like b2b. By complex,  higher value, longer sales cycle, more people involved, probably more moving parts to the solution.

The three challenges based on selling are the following;

• First Challenge: Busy, Busy, Busy

       This approach tends to rush around, doing a lot of things that make no difference. You are performing the wrong activities, and it gives you no result at all. It is pretty tiring, stressful, and draining the more you try and do more. This is the wrong place for salespeople to end up with the end of the pin.

• Second Challenge: Olde Worlde

This is about using old-fashioned techniques in selling. Struggling with tasks that don’t work because it’s old. It is a manipulative tactic, self-centred type selling where you want to talk about yourself rather than the products. Remember that it should be about the services you offer and the need to help your clients. He said that 3D is a good technique. Also, compounding your issues is a great help. Why? Because you will determine which one must stop and innovate into a more professional approach.

• Third Challenge: Muddled Mindset

This kind of individual seems lost and unsure about what they are supposed to be doing in selling. The problem arises when someone is not clearing themselves on which way to go. Why? Because it’s going to be confusing, and you are not directing the individuals to help and work for the right things. This will result in the first and second challenges; they will be busy, busy, busy, and olde worlde for using the same old technique.

A collaborative approach with your colleagues, your customers can make a huge difference. As a salesperson, you must know when to stop for a moment. Recognize the situation and the problems that are arising to create a better strategy as a comeback.

Fred added that to take on those strategies, you should prepare a better plan, take a minute to think and work out your objectives on what you will present.  Furthermore, be clear on your sales process. Refrain from jumping all around with things that you are not supposed to be doing by far. The key is to focus on things that work. Educate yourself about modern techniques like partnering skills to get the right proper mindset and the modelled mindset and identify your goal. Dive into a more modern approach to selling by adding value to the customer.

Collaborative Selling is where we are now. You can go through an evolution of how sales have changed over the decades. Nowadays, we are adding value to customer issues by trying to understand the root.  It is about bringing the elements of consultative selling.

PQ gives us a solid foundation because the elements are so valuable for sales and business. Breaking it down comes first is trust because that is a foundation for communication. In partnerships or selling, there should be a mutual benefit, where both parties will win happily. The key is understanding people’s expectations. Additionally, resolve potential conflict, and create balance to achieve a win-win situation. 

Another element of PQ is interdependence. Our success depends on each other. And if there might be circumstances and space for conflicts, be creative with your problem solving because it is how you should frame your mindset.

Another thing is self-disclosure and feedback. Having the confidence to talk about yourself and to share what it is that you need can be an introductory level for a deal to be good. Sometimes it means exposing a few weaknesses, vulnerability and authenticity. Why? So people can point out your strengths. Accepting feedback is allowing yourself and your business to grow. It is not easy, but it’s going to be worth it.

Another element is the comfort with change. Fred recommended using this change curve as a tool to recognize where you can get a lot of sales. People do have this kind of positive mindset. And this could be a chance to do stuff with a careful approach because the customer might be at a different stage. There are loads of things to do. Moreover, salespeople have to challenge the chan

Furthermore, the status quo is doing the same old thing again, which is the biggest competitor. How to deal with this? He mentioned the need to challenge the customer and broaden their knowledge about the different ways of doing things that involve change. It simply means becoming change agents, and it is a big part of selling.

A key to success in entrepreneurship is good partnerships. He would always tell people to never lose sight of a win-win. Just know and be very aware of that when you’re talking about partnering as an entrepreneur.