I have been thinking of writing a book for some time. So finally, a book on B2B sales Titled - "Sellers from Mars and Buyers from Venus - Elements of Nature Meet B2B Sales" is published.
Book is available at amazon.com.
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B2B sales is a challenging, complex and long-drawn process spanning between six to twenty-four months. The sales cycle varies across the products and services in different industries and geographies for multiple reasons and the complexities associated with the buyer's procurement process.
Various methodologies like personality tests developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, Game theory, Behavioural Psychology, etc., are applied in business and daily life to learn about an employee or an individual’s behaviour and motivation. These methodologies provide insights by gathering data or observing individuals over a duration.
The Five elements-based approach is an ancient methodology used in Chinese medicine, Feng Shui and Ayurveda for medical treatment, face reading, and understanding how humans behave. It relies on the fact that each element found in nature has certain key attributes, and each human being acts under the influence of these elemental attributes.
Update: More work on Sales Advisory here, here and below
Applying and correlating these elemental attributes' significance to humans, we can anticipate how an individual will behave. This methodology is related to nature through the cycle of creation and destruction.
To succeed in business to business (B2B) sales, sellers must gather intelligence and anticipate prospective buyers’ preferences, thinking, and modus operandi. Accordingly, the conversation is started for positioning a product or a service. Applying the five elements-based methodology across the business to business (B2B) sales value chain is a quick, easy, and efficient process.
This is an applied book that provides insights on, behavioural and engagement style of buyers or sellers in different roles, how to position and influence stakeholders to win negotiations, identify what type of sales representative will be best for a buyer, and anticipate how procurement, legal, marketing, finance or other value chain stakeholders will engage with the sales team.
To know more please read the following 11 article series covering the various sections of the book
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- Part 12 Highligts and Excerpts from the book can be read here
- Part 11 on How to apply elements framework for identifying Narendra Modi Persona can be read here
- Part 10 on How to apply elements framework for Product vs Service-Centric Sales can be read here
- Part 9 on How to apply elements framework on how a Procurement Executive will engage can be read here
- Part 8 on How to apply elements framework for Sales Planning and Execution can be read here
- Part 7 on How to apply elements framework for identifying Steve Jobs Persona can be read here
- Part 6 on How to apply elements framework on a Legal Service Counsel can be read here
- Part 5 on How a Marketing Manager will engage can be read here
- Part 4 on How a Sponsoring Executive will engage can be read here
- Part 3 on Negotiation Styles in B2B Sales can be read here
- Part 2 on Persona Mapping in B2B Sales can be read here
- Part 1 on Marrying Elements of Nature with B2B Sales can be read here
- Part 0 on Brief Context and Background on Sales can be read here
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Glimpses of what is inside the book are shown below:
Topic - 2: Sales and Advisory in a Digitally Connected World.
Still In Garage
- Why
- This is an area of interest that I have been exploring further with Sales Management, Leadership and Advisory. My learning's from Digital Transformation work is helping me to merge these two.
Update: More work on Sales Advisory here, here and below
Dropped the idea of Book on Topic - 3
How Digital Transformation is Redefining Industries.- Why
- Digital transformation is a fundamental shift in business because digital technologies (in function) are front-office, customer-facing, and demand-generating instead of demand fulfilment or generate revenue instead of a cost centre. (via s://twitter.com/markpmcdonald). They're the business's brand. Digital demands move at the pace of the market, competition, and customer expectations rather than the upgrade cycles of IT vendors.
- The ubiquity of the internet has led to Digital Transformation across vertical industries and merging the gap between the physical and digital world.
- Digital Transformation is driving a fundamental shift in Business Model. This shift has led to a deep impact on organisations operation, structure and, culture.
- Owning the digital ecosystem (like app stores) has become a vital channel for customer engagement, retention and revenue generation.
- App Store led Commerce and Services in the digital world is increasing in double digits (YoY).
- The emergence of Social Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin has redefined how customers are engaged in a digital world. Customers used these as a learning, sharing and collaborating platform.
- The emergence of Smart Mobile Device(incl. Tablets) with superior and engaging UX has led customers to use this as a preferred platform for commerce and service consumption.
- The emergence of GPS enabled devices has allowed localised targeting of services.
- The convergence of SO, LO, MO is driving digital disruption across every industry.
- A low barrier to entry is driving constant innovation.