What are the challenges of commercial prospecting?
Answers from Cyril MICHEL, Sales Director of Climax Technology. Present in Asia, the United States and Europe, Climax Technology is an expert in the field of wireless security, from research to marketing, including the development of all the software building blocks in the offering. In particular, the company has integrated new home automation functionalities into its systems, improving performance and offering far more extensive possibilities, ultimately developing true artificial intelligence.
In this context, Cyril MICHEL implements the company's sales, marketing and communication strategy, and is responsible for the strategic, tactical and operational aspects of these issues. We would like to thank Cyril MICHEL, who has been a member of the DCF, Dirigeants commerciaux de France, for 16 years and was kind enough to answer our questions on the subject of sales prospecting. Here's what he had to say.
From B to B prospecting to finding B to C customers
We have two targets in terms of market segments. On the one hand, installers, addressed by our network sales force, Climax Technology Network. Our solutions are also integrated by major groups, financial and mutual organisations, and other ETIs, to meet their most strategic challenges.
However, our products are installed by our customers, in French homes: we are active in the fields of: smart home - smart city, e-health, customised solutions, sport and we are already protecting nearly 40,000 French homes. We are now launching initiatives to address B to C customers directly. To do this, we are using marketplaces and dedicated websites. For example, we're launching a B-to-C operation via a dedicated e-commerce site with our partner Blaupunkt on 20 March, as part of a special press operation.
Sales prospecting has become multi-channel
Commercial prospecting has become "multimodal". If I take an analogy with transport, there are now many ways of reaching our prospects, and there have never been so many. It's up to us to take advantage of this. Digitalisation, professional social networks, the internet and business websites are goldmines of commercial information to be explored.
That said, we must continue to favour good old-fashioned "Old School" methods. Referrals from satisfied customers, professional networks such as the DCF, Digital Aquitaine, Apacom or 2AM in Gironde and New Aquitaine, and direct approaches.
The 421 method for the sales force
When it comes to prospecting and its development, I think you need to be very structured and have a strong methodology, so as not to resist the temptation to procrastinate. We're being asked for more and more information, and there's a strong temptation not to "hit the ground running", because it's complicated. But that's like a runner who decides to run a marathon and doesn't do at least 3 runs a week. Especially as we have to bear in mind the content of our hiring and our commitment. To sell, in order to produce value for the company that employs us.
To do this, I apply myself and train my teams in the 421 method I created, which reverses the sales production curve. Before: 1 day of prospecting, at best, and the rest in the back office. With the 421 method: 4 sales meetings a week, 2 days of direct approach, and only 1 day for the back office.
#SalesProspecting: the 421 method by @CyrmichelMichel - via @appvizer_EN
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The direct approach as a prospecting technique
More specifically, telephone prospecting is part of the direct approach: physical networking, social networking, telephone prospecting, digital marketing, it's the salesperson's jogging. Salespeople who don't go hunting and who aren't out in the field have room for improvement in their sales dynamics.
How do you choose your CRM software?
I have one conviction: it's the team. Without the team, i.e. absolutely all the company's resources mobilised to produce excellence in customer relations, nothing is possible. I'm also a fervent supporter of collaborative working. We need to get things moving, and involve all employees in sales.
The quest for excellence in customer relations is based on collaborative working
There are 9 of us in the sales department, spread across our 6 branches in France. But I wanted more than 20 people to have access to the CRM, as soon as it was set up, to pool and share sales information. Our need is very classic and is similar to SFA. Sales force automation. Customer database, contacts, forcast, reporting, marketing data.
Criteria for selecting a CRM tool
We chose Sellsy software because it came out on top in our selection criteria, as part of our technical, functional and business qualification grid. We set ourselves up in project mode, and specified our requirements in an expression of need, followed by precise specifications. Our criteria included functional richness, the ability to access the solution in SaaS mode, and scalability, for example in terms of expense reports, workflow and support.
We're part of Digital Aquitaine, and our solutions are Made in France. Even though this was not the decisive criterion, we were attentive to the fact that SELLSY is a company based in New Aquitaine, and that the data is hosted in France.
Information sharing at the heart of the sales strategy
As far as the CRM tool is concerned, here are our expected results:
- the first expected result is the sharing of sales information, to the benefit of Climax Technology's excellent customer relations,
- the second is to save time by standardising sales practices.
Are SaaS useful for generating leads?
There are clearly digital tools that have been used for many years now to optimise your prospecting rate and detect new opportunities. I'm thinking of digital devices, tracking tools, lean marketing and chatbots. But these are new tools, adding to the wide range that a business engineer needs to master to make a difference and sign deals. For example, there are no better prospects or influencers than customers and their networks.
After that, the tools are very good these days and do the job. What's important is that they are implemented progressively, that those involved are given responsibility, and that they benefit from this type of tool.
A sales rep will happily populate his database with the right emails from his customers, if he is guaranteed, for example, that his customer will automatically receive a newsletter with added-value content.
Article translated from French