SalesCentric Relationship Charts for Projects using Miller Heiman Methodology
Here we will describe a scenario where Relationship Charts as a visual explorer of relationships can bring a substantial value to the end users of CRM using Miller Heiman methodology.
Please be aware:
This is an example only – it does not cover the real business model in details.
Everything on the chart, such as types of entities (participants), the set of displayed attributes, the types of relationships, is configured in the Relationship Charts administrative interface.
All names used in the document are fictitious.
Introduction
If your company has a complex sales cycle, Miller Heiman Strategic Selling with its Win-Win principle may be the right solution for your business. As Miller Heiman (www.millerheiman.com) specialists state: –
“Strategic Selling® process helps organizations and individuals develop comprehensive deal strategies to win complex sales. It is especially helpful when selling solutions require approval from multiple players on the buy-side before the deal can be closed.
Strategic Selling® brings the entire deal into view for a selling organization. This involves first identifying all key players on the buy-side; understanding each one’s degree of influence and motives, evaluating your competitive position and strengths, and uncovering essential unknown information. Then, the salesperson or team develops comprehensive action plans to address the motives of each individual, to shore-up weaknesses, and to uncover uncertainties.“
The visual approach provided by Relationship Charts allows end users to easily grasp the entire picture of a project with all its participants and the relationships between them.
The rest of the document will describe a scenario “how to follow the Miller Heiman Strategic Selling methodology using a Relationship Chart”.
Scenario
Consider that you want your Billing Module software to be used by the City Power Sun Light company. Let’s visualize the process of revealing Key Influencers and developing a Coach using Relationship Charts, and define what you need to win the deal.
1. Create a new chart for an opportunity from a template
The first action is to create a new chart from a template. This template is built by SalesCentric and modified by your CRM administrator so that it meets the business approach of your company to the best advantage.
2. Set real Opportunity and Account
The next step is to set the real Opportunity and Account for the respective Ghost actors on the chart. Do this by selecting the corresponding Ghosts and clicking “Set Opportunity” and “Set Account”.
3. Find out who is the User Buyer
When you find out that the User Buyer in City Power Sun Light is Susan Taylor, you can show her on the chart and display that Susan’s Response Mode is Trouble. When the Buying Influencer is defined, his or her Red Flag can be removed and set to Identified.
4. Develop a Coach
Consider that you know Jane Sand who is a Manager with City Power Sun Light: you play tennis every Friday with her and her husband. She is very interested in the Billing Module your company offers to City Power Sun Light, and she will be your Coach. Let’s display this on our chart:
5. Reveal other key Buying Influencers
Having Jane Sand as your Coach, you can now get information about other key decision makers: Economic and Technical Buyers. With Jane’s help you find out that the Economic Buyer is the CEO of City Power Sun Light, Dan Nelson. His Response Mode is the most welcoming — Growth. Then according to the Win-Win principle, mark why the Economic Buyer Wins from the deal, using the Actor Notes in Relationship Charts: Dan gets a cheaper solution that your competitors offer him and after implementation of your Billing Module, City Power Sun Light will need less personnel for making billing operations.
Then Jane will help us to find out that the Technical Buyer is CTO, Peter Campbell, and that he is in Even Keel Response Mode. Now you can see that he feels Losing:
6. Create tasks for your Action Plan
If you find out that someone is negative to your offer, you need to modify your Action Plan so that antagonists among the Buying Influencers turn into loyal persons. Let’s use your Coach to find out why the Technical Buyer feels that he is Losing to investigate the prospect?s buying process.
7. You’ve got the picture of your Opportunity
Now you can easily see your Win-Win approach, which people have their Influence on the opportunity, and manage your Action Plan to win this deal!
What’s next?
Do you think that charts may be useful for improving your experience in the Miller Heiman sales system?
We are ready to provide you with a trial of our product, as well as customizing Relationship Charts for your methodology.
