One Size Fits All ? Not in Sales!
Wikipedia describes "One size fits all" as a description of a product that would fit in all instances. The term has been extended to mean one style or procedure would fit in all related applications. Many sales managers seem to have this paradigm when hiring and assigning sales people to prospects and existing accounts.
Our CSO Insights Research in our last ELAvate Sales Blog identifies four areas on how to boost B2B sales team productivity and revenue. The advice was:
- Improve Lead Generation - Align Marketing and Sales Processes
- Close More New Accounts –Hunt more!
- Expand Existing Relationships – Farm existing accounts!
- Improve Win Rates – Align competence for Hunting and Farming
The middle two CSO Insights clearly call for sales people who can hunt new accounts and those that can farm and expand existing accounts. Aligning your individual sales people’s competence and motivators will lead to the last point “Improve Win Rates.”
One size does not fit all in B2B sales. For example in ELAvate, I am a hunter and enjoy closing new accounts, and, Manish, our India director, is a farmer and aspires to expand existing customer relationships.
Chally Group has clearly identified the competencies sales managers should hire and nurture for Hunters and Farmers to improve win rates and drive revenue growth. Let’s look at each most important competency cluster that is required for each. Interesting to observe which competences are skill and which are motivators.
The Farmer – Key Competencies
Maximizes Results by Managing Account Planning- Motivation
Driven Increase Business with Existing Accounts - Motivation
Willingness to Work the System for the Customer- Motivation
Commitment Educate the Customer - Motivation
Promotes Customer Relationships through Soliciting Feedback - Motivation
Respond to Customer at any time – Motivation
Top Farmer Competencies involve strong motivations!
The Hunter – Key Competencies
Effective Networking – Motivation
Problem Solving - Skill
Qualifies Accounts with Effective Probing - Skill
Commits Time and Effort to Acquire Accounts – Motivation
Closes Through Incremental Steps - Skill
Opportunistic – Motivation
Top Hunter Competencies are 3 motivators and 3 skills!
Isn’t it amazing the Top Competencies for Hunters and Farmers are very different! There is no overlap!
The first take away from the Chally B2B research is attract, hire and coach hunters and farmers differently focusing on the competence and motivations that drive sales for each type of sales person.
The second take away is to interview and hire for the key motivations that the farmer or hunter enjoys and train and coach B2B selling skills and key account process.
The third take away is to align and assign B2B leads and key accounts to the appropriate sales person. Making a farmer hunt is very stressful experience, and making a hunter farm is very boring one.
Explore the expanded competencies for the Hunter – New Business Development Profile by clicking here.
Gain insight into the expanded competencies for the Farmer – Account Management by clicking here.
Then do some reflection on each of your B2B sales people and determine where they will excel best – as Hunters or Farmers!
Contact me if you require more explanation on aligning your sales people to the type of sales environment they thrive in, and watch your win rate climb!
Have a great second quarter exceeding your sales targets!
Michael J Griffin
Founder ELAvate!
Master Sales Coach and Trainer