Partner Sales Skills Case

Title:  Teaching Partners That There's More Than One Way to Sell

Client:  Microsoft

Background:

When Microsoft acquired Great Plains, Navision and others for their medium and small business Dynamics division, they knew the competition would be tough. Wanting to arm their partners well, they assembled competitive experts with vast technical information on competitors and their approaches.

But despite providing such a wealth of data and requiring sales process training, partners reported that too many of their sales opportunities were stalled or stolen by competitive challengers.

 

Why Tactics Were Important:

Microsoft saw that their partners needed more than just knowledge; they needed to know better ways -- tactics for handling those real-world competitive situations.

Specifically, they saw that sales hinged on what partner salespeople said and did and the impact it made. Product lectures or general process training didn't address the actual sales calls.

 

What We Taught, and To Whom

We tailored our Competitive Selling Tactics Clinic to Microsoft's specific goals, based on strong support from top partners and from Microsoft's competitive experts.

Delivered in 9 North American cities, this interactive tactical workshop delved into targeted competitive situations and taught high-integrity, non-manipulative tactics to address each of them. Specific pipeline situations were discussed and, for each situation, practical approaches were taught that could turn situations around. For each challenge, 'Words That Work' were customized and taught with the goal of helping customers advance.

The Leverage -- and Results -- of Tactics

While specific results are proprietary information, we can tell you that using Microsoft's quantitative rating grid, the workshop contents, presentation, presenters and value were rated at over a 94% satisfaction.

Partners took the time to write comments on the content, value and presenters which consistently supported their quantitative ratings.  Here are a few:  (All the following are on file, on hardcopy)

"Really gives us practical help." JD Minneapolis

"Bravo!" A.C. San Diego

"Ideas I can apply immediately." K.M. Washington DC

"I can't wait to use the pricing stuff this Monday." C.P. Seattle

"I will recommend you to everyone!" R.U. Tampa

"10 out of 10!"

"Excellent!"

"Deals with practical ideas in real-life situations"

"Gave simple ideas how to respond to sales stopping issues"

"Gave help in dealing with 'Do Nothing' sales."

"Good insights, tactics to turn it around."

"Giving us 'Words That Work" and examples of how

"Very interactive"

"It was a different perspective vs. solution selling. A nice change"

"Not tricky complex formula but has good pragmatic human relations and tactical content"

"Real group participation"

"It focused on tactics to support strategy we've already learned"

"Worth the time and really gives practical help.

"Great "new" approach to old sales challenges

"It's very engaging session with good examples and many good ideas!"

"Some relevant, street-wise advice, tips and examples.

"It teaches a real-world approach without the smugness commonly found in sales training"

"Learn some new ideas and tactics that can be used right away!"