Selling at the Executive Level Curriculum Outline

Prepare for Success

Overview/Description
The success of any executive-level sale is founded on the preparation that is completed before contact is made. Identifying what is likely to be required, and having that planned or in place in advance of the sale, are marks of a true professional. Based on practical methods and techniques, this course takes you through the initial stage of an executive-level sale, and shows how best to prepare for subsequent meetings and negotiations.

Target Audience
Sales people who are tasked with selling at an executive level and who are currently involved with obtaining and maintaining key/major accounts. Also, those sales people wanting to move up into executive sales roles, and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing, newly promoted or recently appointed executive-level sales people.

Expected Duration (hours)
3.0

Lesson Objectives

Setting Your Personal Foundations

Recognize the benefits of self-preparation when selling at an executive level.

Distinguish the behavior associated with each of the three roles of the salesperson.

Associate the most appropriate role with the prospect's level of corporate authority.

Associate the areas of knowledge with specific requirements of the executive-level sales process.

Associate various organizational skills to the elements of the executive-level sales process that they undermine.

Prospecting and Research

Recognize the value of comprehensive prospecting and research to the generation of quality leads for major accounts.

Recognize the advantages of interacting with prospective customers at an executive level.

Use conversion statistics to forecast sales, evaluate and compare potential markets, and calculate the number of sales leads required to generate a specific number of accounts or sales revenue.

Illustrate the appropriate criteria to use to judge the viability of contracting with a prospective client.

Course Number:
SALE0221

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Strategic Planning

Overview/Description
Selling high-value contracts is fiercely competitive, with buyers setting stringent criteria by which to judge prospective key suppliers. Success at this level requires knowledge of these criteria and an awareness of what will be required to ensure that your proposition is viewed most favorably. Using stripped down project management techniques, this course outlines the analysis and planning processes required to direct executive-level sale tasks and events towards a positive outcome.

Target Audience
Sales people who sell at an executive level and who are currently involved with obtaining and maintaining key/major accounts. Also, those sales people wanting to move up into executive sales roles, and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing, newly-promoted or recently appointed executive-level sales people.

Expected Duration (hours)
3.5

Lesson Objectives

Analyze Your Position

Recognize the value of being able to undertake customer, competitor, and SWOT analyses.

Differentiate between subjective and objective customer needs.

Determine competitive advantage.

Undertake a competitor analysis in a given situation.

Use knowledge of customers and competitors to undertake a SWOT analysis in a given scenario.

Formulate a Strategy

Recognize the benefits of planning the executive-level sales process.

Associate key factors with their impact on an executive-level sale.

Evaluate objectives typical of an executive-level sale against the SMART criteria for effective objective setting.

Differentiate between sequential and parallel activities.

Undertake the key activities involved in critical path analysis in a given scenario.

Manage the Process

Recognize the value of task prioritization and delegation skills to the executive-level sales process.

Relate activities to Key Result Areas and thereby judge their efficiency or effectiveness.

Prioritize activities and tasks by evaluating them in terms of importance and urgency.

Determine if delegation of certain activities is appropriate within an executive-level sale.

Recognize and apply the criteria of good delegation in a given situation.

Course Number:
SALE0222

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Progressing through the Complex Sale

Overview/Description
High-value purchases impact across the whole organization. So it's not surprising that these buying decisions are made by those at the top. But getting to these decision-makers isn't easy, which is why selling at an executive level is a more complex operation that requires all the resources of the highly skilled salesperson. This course is directed at supplying those resources.

Target Audience
Salespeople who are tasked with selling at an executive level and who are currently involved with obtaining and maintaining key/major accounts. Also, those salespeople wanting to move up into executive sales roles, and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing, newly-promoted or recently appointed executive-level salespeople.

Expected Duration (hours)
4.0

Lesson Objectives

Influencing People through Personality

Identify the benefits of being able to recognize the prime personality types.

Differentiate between the introvert and extrovert personality types.

Respond appropriately to the introvert or the extrovert personality type in a given scenario.

Differentiate between the sensate and the intuitive personality types.

Identify the most effective manner for presenting information to either the sensate or the intuitive personality type in a given situation.

Differentiate between the thinker and feeler personality types.

Demonstrate the attributes most valued by the thinker or the feeler personality type in a given scenario.

Adopt the most effective approach to achieve a favorable response from the judging or the perceptive personality type in a given situation.

Understanding the Buying Process

Recognize the importance of understanding the fundamentals of the buying process for a complex sale.

Identify the prime tactics required for each phase of the buying process of the complex sale.

Identify the key influencer roles in the buying process of the executive-level sale.

Recognize methods of making team-based decisions within the complex sales process.

Writing for Results: Effective Proposals

Recognize the advantages of being able to produce well-constructed sales proposals.

Recognize the prime objectives of a sales proposal.

Sequence the key components of a formal, structured sales proposal.

Identify suitable content for inclusion in a sales proposal.

Associate the methods of increasing the effectiveness of a sales proposal with their related benefits.

Course Number:
SALE0223

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Presenting Your Proposition

Overview/Description
Even the most confident sales people can feel their self-assurance dissolve when required to make a formal sales presentation. This course is about giving you the confidence, not only to present, but also to get commitment from your customer. Demonstrating a structure that can be adapted to most situations, this course will equip you with the skills needed to deal with the most intimidating circumstances with consummate ease.

Target Audience
Sales people who are tasked with selling at an executive level and who are currently involved with obtaining and maintaining key/major accounts. Also, those sales people wanting to move up into executive-level sales roles, and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing, newly-promoted or recently appointed executive-level sales people.

Expected Duration (hours)
4.0

Lesson Objectives

Planning for Your Presentation

Recognize how planning improves the effectiveness of an executive-level sales presentation.

Identify how knowledge of the prospective audience can assist the planning of an executive-level presentation.

Identify why it's necessary to understand the prospect's objectives for the sales presentation to be able to plan effectively for the event.

Distinguish the resources that must be planned in advance to adequately support an executive-level sales presentation.

Preparing the Presentation

Recognize the benefits of taking a structured approach to the preparation of an executive-level sales presentation.

Identify how content and/or structure can be used to achieve objectives common to all executive-level sales presentations.

Determine the logical format being used to present information.

Identify how to reduce stress, thereby improving the ability to deliver an executive-level presentation.

Identify how delivery of an executive-level presentation can be improved by various practice and rehearsal methods.

The Communication Essentials

Identify the advantages of being able to communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally and through the use of visual aids when presenting at the executive level.

Within a given scenario, determine examples of verbal communication that are conducive to positively influencing decision-makers, and maintaining their interest during an executive-level sales presentation.

Identify examples of body language that will create a positive impression with the executive decision-makers.

Identify how to maximize the positive effect that visual aids can have on an executive-level sales presentation.

Identify methods of ensuring the effectiveness of handouts produced to support an executive-level sales presentation.

When Others Speak

Recognize the advantages of allowing the input of others during an executive-level sales presentation.

In a given scenario, apply the most appropriate approach to answering client questions.

Distinguish the appropriate methods of ensuring a cohesive and effective team presentation.

Course Number:
SALE0224

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Negotiating to Mutual Benefit

Overview/Description
The key to being a skilled negotiator is understanding the difference between negotiating and giving money away. This course demonstrates the stages and rules that will gain you a win/win solution, and with it long-term business. If you follow the guidelines set out here, you will be able to handle customer strategies and still close the deal on terms that keep both your company and your customer happy.

Target Audience
Salespeople who sell at an executive level and obtain and maintain key accounts; salespeople who want to move into executive sales roles; and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing executive-level salespeople or those who have been recently promoted or appointed.

Expected Duration (hours)
4.0

Lesson Objectives

The Principles of Sales Negotiation

Identify the benefits of applying the fundamental principles of negotiation.

Determine which of the essential preconditions for successful negotiation is absent from a given sales situation.

Apply the relevant strategy to secure a win/win outcome in a given negotiation situation.

Recognize how specific skills and attributes can support successful negotiation.

Control the Process

Recognize the advantages of having control during the negotiation process.

Recognize the types of power present in a given sales situation.

Demonstrate how to use information to increase control of the negotiation process and outcome in a given scenario.

Apply the most appropriate means to reduce the adverse effects of time constraints on negotiating power in a given executive-level scenario.

Communicate to Collaborate

Recognize the advantages of using communication skills to build mutual respect and trust during the executive-level negotiation process.

Recognize and overcome the barriers to effective listening in a given executive-level negotiation scenario.

Make the appropriate reflective response to client opposition in a given scenario.

Use assertive communication in a given executive-level negotiation situation.

Strategies and Tactics

Identify the benefits of using strategies to overcome client tactics while maintaining a collaborative approach to negotiation.

Apply the appropriate negotiation strategies in a given executive-level negotiation scenario.

Identify the most appropriate response to use to overcome the buyer tactic demonstrated in a given executive-level negotiation.

Course Number:
SALE0225

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From Executive-level Sale to Strategic Partnership

Overview/Description
Selling at an executive level doesn't stop when the contract is signed. To develop the business and prevent attack from the competition, major accounts need nurturing. This course illustrates how knowledge of various corporate cultures will give you a customer compatible approach that safeguards and maximizes your account revenue.

Target Audience
Salespeople who sell at an executive level and obtain and maintain key accounts; salespeople who want to move into executive sales roles; and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing executive-level salespeople or those who have been recently promoted or appointed.

Expected Duration (hours)
4.0

Lesson Objectives

A Strategy for Development

Recognize the benefits of developing strategic customer accounts.

From given information about a key account, determine to what stage the account has developed.

Determine the level of potential for strategic partnership, given details of a key account relationship.

Recognize the benefits of taking a close-range, medium-range, and long-range perspective of key clients.

From information supplied, determine the account development opportunities afforded by change within a client company.

Effective Account Management

Identify how effective account management assists the development of a key account.

Differentiate the skills and characteristics required to manage a key account from those of selling to a key account.

Identify the advantages of using cross-functional teams to support and develop key accounts.

Within a given scenario, ensure effective knowledge sharing within a key account support team.

Account Retention--the Foundation for Growth

Recognize how increased client retention improves the development of key accounts.

Within a given scenario, build or maintain customer loyalty in a key account client by fulfilling the appropriate levels of customer expectation.

Within a given scenario, respond appropriately to a complaint from a key account client.

In a given situation, ascertain the performance improvements required to increase the satisfaction of a key account client.

Course Number:
SALE0226

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Preparing for the Executive-level Sale Simulation

Overview/Description
You are a regional account representative with DME Corporation, a national direct mail service provider. Your company has recently made a large investment toward the goal of becoming a one-stop shop with its new Fulfillment Division. You are charged with selling the new fulfillment service to your existing client base, as well as prospecting for new accounts. As you begin preparing to sell the new service, you discover that one of your clients, MicroGalaxy, is having trouble fulfilling orders due to the growth of their electronic component supply business. They currently use your company for their direct marketing efforts. You talk with your contact in marketing and find out that the company is hesitant to outsource their fulfillment function. Because they place such a high emphasis on customer service and fast turnaround times, they want to keep hands-on control of the operation. They are being very cautious as they look for a solution. Using the three roles of the salesperson (ambassador, consultant, and persuader) you must gather information, identify MicroGalaxy's needs, identify the influencers in the company, and gain access to them through the gatekeeper--your contact, Yvonne. This simulation has 3 scenarios and focuses on the preparatory phases of the executive-level sale. Your goal is to make sure your company is consulted in the early stages of MicroGalaxy's research. The negotiation process and techniques for nurturing major accounts will be covered in-depth in a separate simulation. This simulation is based on the following SkillSoft courses: SALE0221, SALE 0222 and SALE0223.

Target Audience
Those sales people wanting to move up into executive sales roles, and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing, newly promoted or recently appointed executive-level sales people

Expected Duration (hours)
0.5

Lesson Objectives

Preparing for the Executive-level Sale Simulation

Prioritizing your time.

Effectively utilizing the three roles of the salesperson.

Dealing effectively with different personality types.

Acquiring and demonstrating knowledge of your own company.

Performing a competitive analysis.

Setting SMART objectives.

Identifying and analyzing prospects.

Conducting a SWOT analysis.

Motivating a prospect towards the buying mode.

Analyzing customer needs.

Course Number:
SALE0220

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Progressing through the Complex Sale Simulation

Overview/Description
You are a regional account representative with DME Corporation, a national direct marketing firm, which has recently opened its Fulfillment Services Division. You are charged with selling this service and have identified a potential prospect. In this simulation, the second of three in this series, you have gained access to the buying influences at MicroGalaxy, an electronic component supply company, which is evaluating the possibility of outsourcing its fulfillment function. However, because of their strong emphasis on customer service and turnaround times, they are being very cautious as they evaluate a solution. Your goal is to convince them that outsourcing is the best option and that DME should be a preferred supplier. Your ultimate goal is to gain access to the economic buying influence and to enter the negotiation phase. Your effort includes face-to-face meetings, thorough research, and preparation culminating in a key presentation to the major decision-makers within MicroGalaxy. You will also practice how to handle Thinker, Feeler, Perceiver, and Judger personality types as you approach the commercial and technical buying influences. This simulation is based on the series Selling at the Executive Level and contains links to the following SkillSoft courses: SALE0222, SALE0223, and SALE0224.

Target Audience
Salespeople who are tasked with selling at an executive level and who are currently involved with obtaining major accounts. Also, those sales people wanting to move up into executive-level sales roles, and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing, newly-promoted or recently appointed, executive-level sales people.

Expected Duration (hours)
0.5

Lesson Objectives

Progressing through the Complex Sale Simulation

Formulating a sales strategy.

Performing a competitive analysis.

Influencing the parameters of a purchase.

Effectively presenting information to Perceivers versus Judgers.

Effectively handling Feeler versus Thinking personality types.

Identifying risks perceived by the prospect.

Tailoring your approach to the technical buying influence.

Tailoring your approach to the commercial buying influence.

Researching the audience for your presentation.

Tailoring your information to the audience.

Preparing yourself for the presentation.

Utilizing assertive speaking techniques.

Effectively handling questions and answers.

Reducing risks perceived by the prospect.

Course Number:
SALE022S

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Closing Executive-level Sales Simulation

Overview/Description
You are a regional account executive with DME Corporation, a national direct mail service provider. Your company recently made a large investment toward the goal of becoming a one-stop shop and now offers fulfillment services. You are responsible for selling these new services to your existing client base, as well as prospecting for new accounts. You have previously identified, researched, and analyzed a promising potential client, MicroGalaxy Inc. They currently use your company for their direct marketing efforts. MicroGalaxy's electronic component supply business is growing so fast that they're having trouble keeping up with fulfillment. Now you are close to closing the deal. This simulation requires you to negotiate the deal, manage your cross-functional account team effectively to provide good customer support and to ultimately move the relationship to the partnership stage. This simulation is based on the Selling at the Executive Level series and contains links to the following SkillSoft courses: SALE0225 and SALE0226.

Target Audience
Salespeople who sell at an executive level and obtain and maintain key accounts; salespeople who want to move into executive sales roles; and any sales managers with responsibility for coaching existing executive-level salespeople.

Expected Duration (hours)
0.5

Lesson Objectives

Closing Executive-level Sales Simulation

Overcoming buyer tactics.

Moving a client into the partnership stage.

Managing cross-functional account teams effectively.

Fostering knowledge sharing among account team members.

Building client loyalty.

Solving client complaints.

Bargaining effectively when negotiating.

Demonstrating the characteristics of a good negotiator.

Managing resistance when negotiating.

Controlling the negotiation process.

Establishing preconditions necessary for successful negotiation.

Taking a collaborative approach to negotiating.

Course Number:
SALE022T

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