One dominant factor explains the emergence of this (...) sales method: growing competition between manufacturers or distributors of products and services.
This heightened competition has often led customers to sophisticate their demands. In this context, they can :
- benefit from more choice in relation to their needs: several manufacturers offer comparable solutions, and numerous product types are often presented to meet the same need;
- be offered services that complement their needs: selection assistance, user support, after-sales service, turnkey service, customized deliveries, etc;
- access information more easily and quickly, thanks to the combined development of advertising, promotions and tools such as the Internet.
As a result, both private and professional customers have developed purchasing practices and attitudes that are often much more demanding and rigorous: more rational and more frequent comparisons, research into the real value of an offer, pressure on prices, comparisons of the value of the services offered...
This evolution, which has been recognized and taken into account by marketing departments, has also led to a change in traditional sales (...). We have translated its characteristics into a new sales family, which we have called global offer sales.
As the name implies, this often involves enhancing the value of several components of a "global" offering: technical, commercial, service or image-related offerings. This approach is driven by the need to sell by comparing one's offerings with those of competitors, and by the demands of customers who are increasingly looking for added value when making purchases. (...)
The main features of the global offer
Sales management
The key aspects of interviewing are based on :
- the need to discover and take into account competitors' offers, as well as customers' current solutions if they exist ;
- a selective presentation of the components of your overall offer, based on the positive differences between it and those of your competitors, and on the particular constraints of your budget (limited budget, price comparison, specific needs, etc.);
- a precise or estimated economic valuation of these positive differences.
The sales cycle may require several interviews, depending on the complexity of the overall offer.
Value-added selling methods must be adapted to the different components of the overall offer: technical, commercial, services or image (...).
The salesperson's role
After the discovery phase, the salesperson must guide the customer towards an offer (or offers) likely to offer added value compared to those of competitors.
This orientation of the interview is relatively directive, so as to be able to exploit these differences.
Useful media types
Most of the media used are comparative in nature. They can be technical, commercial, service-related or focus on positive aspects of the company's image.
Extract from "Faîtes évoluer vos méthodes de vente" by Daniel HUYOT and Philippe LAFAIX, published by DUNOD (see also in this book: "Les techniques à maîtriser dans la vente de l'offre globale" and "Les principaux facteurs clés de succès de la vente de l'offre globale").