The last post introduced the idea that two basic selling styles dominate the salesperson’s efforts to capture customers. We can see what the two styles are if we look closely at the idea of the conversation between customer and salesperson that happens through the sales cycle. The end game of the conversation for the customer is to obtain a product or service that will solve some form of immediate need. The end game for the salesperson is that they supply the solution to the customer, rather than a competitor.

Multiple interactions occur between the two parties throughout the sales cycle. The customer is engaged in a buying process and the salesperson is reciprocally pursuing a sales process. This is a business transaction and both customer and salesperson will be using certain sets of skills. The customer needs value, and the salesperson must show that they can provide it. Value will be determined by capability and price.

The skills that the salesperson uses can be learned or acquired through experience. The degree that he or she can use them effectively will partially determine whether they will win the sale. There will be others who present different solutions – each will have their own spin, highlighting strengths and minimizing weaknesses. The skill of the salesperson to boldly present what he or she believes to be the truth will lead to gaining the customer’s confidence.

But there is another important factor that determines selling style. The better the relationship between two negotiating parties, the more chance the deal will go through. Salespeople who have the ability to gain the respect and the loyalty of their customer will have a much more solid platform off which to build on their true selling skills. This kind of skill is usually inherited and driven by the intrinsic personality of the salesperson. In Opportunity Portfolio Management we refer to the style of relying on selling skills as being opportunity focused. The style relying on relationships to win sales is being relationship focused.

Salespeople naturally are inclined to one of the two styles, but the most successful ones are comfortable with either, and moreover, have the ability to blend the two styles to match a particular stage or point in a sales cycle. This idea is at the heart of Opportunity Portfolio Management and represents a key opportunity for salespeople, whether seasoned or newcomers, to test themselves in their strategic interactions with the customer. We’ll talk about how to do that in future postings.

I subscibe to the “inside 1to1” newsletter from the the Peppers and Rogers Group. As everyone knows, Peppers and Rogers were the early proponents of the CRM philosophy, and have published some very successful books on this topic. An article in this morning’s edition was titled Customer Acquisition Makes a Comeback. The opening sentence is “After a solid 18 months of obsession with customer retention, the customer strategy pendulum may be swinging toward customer acquisition.”

Retention of the customer means the process of developing a loyal customer base, and making sure that they stay happy and provide more business. Acquisition means that the enterprise puts its efforts into finding new customers.

I was surprised that big business has actually been homing in on one of these strategies at the expense of the other. I thought that you had to do both. Fortunately as I read on, one of the analysts comments supported my feelings—“you need a balanced attack of both existing customer development and involvement in your brand coupled with smart strategies to acquire new customers.”

It struck me that for most businesses, Retention is more about CRM, and Acquisition about SFA. The marketing and sales departments will be involved in both initiatives – but the goals are distinctly different.