In the game of American football, some plays involve complex handoffs and fakeouts. These plays intend to give the team the maximum amount of gained yards without inviting too much risk. However, if everyone's not on the same page, teammates may get confused. They might not be in the right place at the right time. Then, someone drops the ball.
This same exact issue can happen when those in sales and pre-sales attempt to hand off a client to one another. Without clearly defined roles and an organized team structure where everyone is reading from the same playbook, balls get fumbled all the time. In turn, account leads get frustrated and may even place their bets on another team.
The key, then, is a well-defined sales process that sets expectations for how and when things like sales demos occur. With a well-defined playbook, adequate preparation and sales demo training, everyone on your sales team can work in concert to bring a sale to a close and score your company a win.
The first thing everyone on your sales team needs to understand is what role they are going to play. In football, for example, people need to be available to block while a running back gets ready to grab the ball and make their move. Without these defined roles, you could easily have a mess on the field.
In the same way, a sales rep filling a support role should not suddenly step in and attempt to grab the reins for a deal. They should know exactly who is expected to carry the responsibility and how they can assist them. In turn, the sales executive tasked with helping close a deal should know what they need to do to score a win.
Having everyone know what is expected of them and how they are going to take the next step starts with an established structure. Each deal should have a predictable pipeline where certain actions are expected to take place at certain times and in a certain way.
For example, everyone in pre-sales should know what a lead needs to be nurtured to the point where a demo can take place. They also need to know what kind of information will be presented in a demo. That way, a client lead isn’t hearing about a feature or benefit for the first time during a demo.
Demo presenters should also know what to expect while they are making important moves with a prospect. If a sales rep suddenly interrupts their flow, and says “hey, you should show them this!” then it’s like a blocker suddenly trying to wrestle the ball from the running back’s hands. It never ends well, and the client can sense the disfunction immediately.
Every company needs their go-to plays that help them bring a sale to close. By knowing when a client should be handed off from one team member to the next, clients can feel like they are always in good hands and that they have the right person for the job every time.
This coordination starts with a solid, well-structured sales process agreed upon by your team and drilled into them with repetition and the proper sales/demo training techniques. That way, there are no surprises when opportunities set the stage for big plays. Instead, everyone knows where they should be and what they should be doing when the ball is passed.