When selling to commercial clients, your sales team is faced with several challenges including forming connections with various decision-makers and getting past gatekeepers.
One method that Sebert Landscape, based in Bartlett, Illinois, has adopted to help drive business is utilizing the Sandler Selling System. This is a psychological approach to selling.
“The psychology part of Sandler, understanding one’s personality and how to pitch individuals based off that has been a huge part of my sales strategies,” says Christine Kaldschmidt, a business developer with Sebert. “Knowing who you’re talking to and the reasons they buy are very important in direct sales.”
Breaking Down the Sandler Selling System
The Sandler Selling System is a seven-step system that focuses on a consultative selling approach that puts the salesperson in control of the discovery process.
- Establish Bonding and Rapport – First, find a way to connect and have equal business stature while encouraging open communication.
- Setting an Up-Front Contract – Once a connection is made, set ground rules and expectations for a comfortable environment to do business.
- Uncover the Pain – Ask increasingly specific questions to gain insight on how to eliminate issues the prospect is facing.
- Discuss the Prospect’s Budget – Assess if the prospect can afford the solution to fix the problem.
- Identify the Decision Makers – Determine what the process is for purchasing services and who makes these decisions.
- Present Fulfillment – Propose your solutions to the uncovered pain points that are within the budget.
- Confirm Post-Sell Process – If they agree, establish next steps and discuss future business to prevent buyer’s remorse.
Getting Past Gatekeepers
Before you can test out the Sandler Selling System, some prospects can be hard to get a hold of due to gatekeepers. Kaldschmidt says she gets past this hurdle via pattern interruption.
“Our first communication with a gatekeeper is usually a phone call,” she says. “Most people answer company calls by telling you their name and what the company name is. Use their names; I don’t introduce myself like I’m someone new; I sound as casual as I can to break down that wall a bit.”
Once they transfer you to your intended prospect, Kaldschmidt says you should be honest with them and tell them exactly why you’re calling.
“Save the pleasantries for the end of the conversation,” she says. “Get right to the point.”
After getting your foot in the door, schedule a second meeting before the first one ends.
“It’s very important to get a commitment,” Kaldschmidt says. “I make sure they understand our processes and what the next steps are. I send a thank you card or a follow-up email as soon as I get back into the office or the very next day.”
Kaldschmidt says she also asks a few questions before the proposal is ready as a way to help the prospect remember her.
“If you ask questions, even if you know the answer, it shows you care,” she says.
Other Techniques to Try
Depending on the type of commercial client you’re trying to make a sale with will dictate which techniques will work best. For instance, when meeting with someone on an industrial level, it’s important to ask the right questions about the next steps and learn how to get in front of the true decision-maker.
With hospitals, Kaldschmidt says they take an all-hands-on-deck approach and bring in their regional managers or VP when selling. She says face-to-face meetings are particularly effective for connecting with prospects.
“Especially after COVID, people are more comfortable scheduling a Zoom or phone call, but it’s so important to get in front of someone to develop a rapport,” Kaldschmidt says.
One tactic they practice a lot as a way to be more memorable to prospects is through “drop-offs.” She says they will leave holiday baskets, doughnuts, breakfasts and lunches to help set them apart from the competition.
“The in-person part of selling is crucial to your success,” she says. “You might have someone ask to stop calling or sending emails, but I’ve never had a prospective client ask me to stop dropping them stuff off or stopping by.”
No matter what you do or who you’re targeting, Kaldschmidt says consistency is key. They always ask for a budget and commitment for a second meeting.
“There’s a process that must be followed on every single appointment,” she says. “How you pitch it and find pains is the only thing we really switch up.”
Kaldschmidt says she never wants to oversell and under-deliver so if a customer says they never want to see a weed on their site, she will not promise this won’t happen.
“I go over our calendar of operations and what the crew does on site weekly, and I reiterate how important communication is and if there is ever an issue, we just have to keep the lines of communication open,” she says.
Tracking and Teamwork
As you try out different sales methods, make sure you are tracking what is generating responses and what isn’t.
“When I send emails to prospective clients I’ve never met with, I send the same email, and I log responses,” Kaldschmidt says. “The same goes for the messages I leave. At the end of the week, I know exactly what email/message I left and the response ratio.”
It’s also important for your sales team to lean on one another. Be aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Your sales team should be continually learning more.
“You can’t grow as a team if you’re not growing individually,” she says. “We attend sales classes, listen to podcasts on sales, read books. Never stop learning! We attend a lot of trade shows and outings, so we’re seeing what other people are doing, and we’re always bringing new ideas to the table.”
However, don’t forget the tried-and-true methods that work for your company. Kaldschmidt says at Sebert, this includes their Green Building Tours and Planting Days, so they work to keep those kinds of things consistent.
