Value Collapse

by

Due to the internet’s equalizing effect in the areas of reach and connection, the lowered cost of capital, and that cloud technology provides equal access to computing power, we’re seeing the commoditizationCommoditization Absence of any perceived value, making it so that price becomes the only determining factor. Whether there is real differentiation or not, if the prospect’s brain cannot or will not distinguish this differentiation, it doesn’t matter. of both products and services. Value creation/ destruction has now moved to the selling process. Unfortunately, today’s sellers lack the preparedness and skills to defend organizational value properly and are witnessing its collapse.

Threats

by

What the primitive brainPrimitive Brain The oldest part of the brain whose main responsibility is to keep a person safe and out of danger (both physically and socially). It makes decisions quickly with little to no research (people will often credit their “gut” or “heart”), and it is where 90% of all decisions begin. The primitive brain doesn’t know how to read, and it gets confused when provided with more and more information. It takes the least amount of energy to operate and never sleeps. will act on. Whether real or perceived, the brain prioritizes acting on threatsThreats What the primitive brain will act on. Whether real or perceived, the brain prioritizes acting on threats above and beyond any other action. This hurts sellers who are unable to connect the real impact of their product/service to a prospect’s threats. above and beyond any other action. This hurts sellers who are unable to connect the real impact of their product/service to a prospect’s threats.

Revenue Structure

by

All of the various components contribute to a function’s performance. Structures suffer when they’re misaligned, misinformed and misallocated. Modern revenue structureRevenue Structure All of the various components contribute to a function’s performance. Structures suffer when they’re misaligned, misinformed and misallocated. Modern revenue structure challenges are compounded by accelerating change; frequently, revenue structures have too many independently moving pieces, which creates friction. challenges are compounded by accelerating change; frequently, revenue structures have too many independently moving pieces, which creates friction.

Revenue Function

by

The act of generating revenue for the organization (sales, marketing, branding, PR, service, etc). Due to the commoditizationCommoditization Absence of any perceived value, making it so that price becomes the only determining factor. Whether there is real differentiation or not, if the prospect’s brain cannot or will not distinguish this differentiation, it doesn’t matter. of products/services and the limited time of uniqueness, value creation or destruction has now moved to the revenue functionRevenue Function The act of generating revenue for the organization (sales, marketing, branding, PR, service, etc). Due to the commoditization of products/services and the limited time of uniqueness, value creation or destruction has now moved to the revenue function. Unfortunately, friction and misalignment leaves organizations unprepared and ill equipped to capture value here.. Unfortunately, friction and misalignment leaves organizations unprepared and ill equipped to capture value here.

Revenue Culture

by

Cultures, in general, are the ritual and routine behaviors inside an organization–just how we do things around here. The strength of a culture determines how quickly the revenue structureRevenue Structure All of the various components contribute to a function’s performance. Structures suffer when they’re misaligned, misinformed and misallocated. Modern revenue structure challenges are compounded by accelerating change; frequently, revenue structures have too many independently moving pieces, which creates friction. will adapt to change and whether the revenue functionRevenue Function The act of generating revenue for the organization (sales, marketing, branding, PR, service, etc). Due to the commoditization of products/services and the limited time of uniqueness, value creation or destruction has now moved to the revenue function. Unfortunately, friction and misalignment leaves organizations unprepared and ill equipped to capture value here. will perform properly or poorly in the future.

Rational Brain

by

Where critical and rational thinking occurs. It is a high energy consumer, and since the human body is designed to conserve energy, the rational brainRational Brain Where critical and rational thinking occurs. It is a high energy consumer, and since the human body is designed to conserve energy, the rational brain is rarely used. During the selling process it will engage once a commitment is made at the primitive brain level, to justify the decision. Too many sellers attempt to sell rationally, and they end up selling “out of order” (rational brain before primitive brain). is rarely used. During the selling process it will engage once a commitment is made at the primitive brainPrimitive Brain The oldest part of the brain whose main responsibility is to keep a person safe and out of danger (both physically and socially). It makes decisions quickly with little to no research (people will often credit their “gut” or “heart”), and it is where 90% of all decisions begin. The primitive brain doesn’t know how to read, and it gets confused when provided with more and more information. It takes the least amount of energy to operate and never sleeps. level, to justify the decision. Too many sellers attempt to sell rationally, and they end up selling “out of order” (rational brain before primitive brain).

Race To The Bottom

by

This happens in the procurement saleProcurement Sale Where the prospect wants to purchase an identified solution and compares suitable vendors/providers to do so. This sale happens late in the buying journey: more than 80% of the selling journey is complete before the prospect engages with vendors. In this situation, sellers are many times left answering the “3 Uglies”: Can you do it? Do you want it? How much? phase where there’s little to no vendor differentiation in the prospect’s brain. Price becomes the deciding factor, and vendors many times get pitted against each other to win via the lowest possible price. Organizations may hope that later this pricing position can be reclaimed (after the initial sale is made, in future sales), but this rarely happens.

Procurement Sale

by

Where the prospect wants to purchase an identified solution and compares suitable vendors/providers to do so. This sale happens late in the buying journey: more than 80% of the selling journey is complete before the prospect engages with vendors. In this situation, sellers are many times left answering the “3 Uglies”: Can you do it? Do you want it? How much?

Priority Sale

by

A sale executed at the highest level. It happens when an organization’s real impact is connected to what matters most to a prospect.

Priority

by

A commitment to eliminate a threat that’s both urgent and important. A priorityPriority A commitment to eliminate a threat that’s both urgent and important. A priority is what will get acted on, instead of just discussed. It differs from a pain point because most pain points never get acted on. is what will get acted on, instead of just discussed. It differs from a pain point because most pain points never get acted on.