| Most sales professionals have been exposed to | | | | customer and provide reassurance that you not |
| the funnel concept. A business through its | | | | only understand, but can help him or her through |
| marketing action plan has a marketing funnel in | | | | those terrifying and most challenging issues. As |
| which all the leads are fall into. From this funnel, | | | | you continue walking, you begin to leave the role |
| the goal is to get the leads into the sales funnel | | | | of salesperson and embrace the role of trusted |
| (earned sales) and that leads to the financial funnel | | | | advisor. During this process, the two of you begin |
| (paid invoices). The funnel concept is a very good | | | | to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This light |
| visual and has been quite successful in achieving | | | | is generated by your products and services along |
| the goal to increase sales. However, I believe a | | | | with the other information that you have provided |
| new visual is needed to support today's | | | | in your role as trusted advisor. |
| marketplace because the premise of the funnel | | | | There are several differences between the funnel |
| (given enough leads into your funnel gravity will | | | | and the tunnel. One difference is of time. Of |
| take over) has a tendency to ignore what is | | | | course because you are actively engaged with |
| happening in today's marketplace more than ever | | | | your potential qualified customers, you will be |
| before. | | | | investing more time. This investment of time |
| For many years, delivering good products and | | | | demands that you have done your due diligence in |
| services was enough to generate fair to strong | | | | separating the suspects from the qualified |
| customer loyalty even when buyers or purchasing | | | | prospects or qualified potential customers so that |
| agents changed. The belief was If it was good | | | | your time investment is recovered in the form of |
| enough for so and so, it is good enough for me. | | | | an earned sale. |
| Finding a new supplier is way too time consuming | | | | Another difference between the funnel and the |
| and I have other responsibilities. | | | | tunnel is the issue of giving something away for |
| Enter the Internet. Now with the click of the | | | | free. During this process of education, you may |
| mouse, your loyal customer or potential customer | | | | have to give away something of value to receive |
| can find another vendor to meet her or his needs. | | | | something of greater value. Depending upon your |
| Sales professionals now must switch from the old | | | | industry, your target market, what you give |
| tradition of selling just my products or services to | | | | away will vary. For example, one of my sales |
| sharing value intense information. Through this | | | | coaching clients is in the food manufacturing |
| sharing, the sales professional is now engaged in | | | | industry. She consistently gives away a significant |
| relationship selling. | | | | sample of her product that being a soup base |
| Relationship selling has many definitions depending | | | | stock to qualified potential customers. This |
| upon the sales guru. Yet, I believe the essence of | | | | give-a-way along with the supporting education |
| relationship selling is to become the trusted | | | | from her sales team helps to deliver a significant |
| advisor to your clients. In relationship selling, you | | | | sales conversion success rate. |
| become The go to person who understands the | | | | A third difference is that in the tunnel you may |
| marketplace and can make positive | | | | begin the journey with just one individual. |
| recommendations for your customers and even | | | | However, because he or she may not be the |
| potential qualified customers (prospects). | | | | ultimate decision-maker, but a significant player |
| To become that trusted advisor means that you | | | | within the decision making process, you may find |
| must demonstrate value through your expertise, | | | | yourself walking with another individual. Only you |
| your knowledge. In other words, your goal is not | | | | know from your initial meeting or contact if you |
| about making or closing the sale as it is about | | | | should begin this journey through the tunnel with |
| educating your customer with value that he or | | | | someone who is not the ultimate decision-maker. |
| she cannot find anywhere else. | | | | Relationship selling using an education based |
| Envision, if you would for a moment, a long dark | | | | marketing approach appears to be a better way |
| tunnel. You and your qualified potential customer | | | | to win more sales provided you switch from a |
| (qualified prospect) are at the opening of this | | | | funnel marketing strategy to a tunnel one. By |
| tunnel. The two of you start walking side by side | | | | changing your paradigm, you may find yourself |
| into this dark and even somewhat scary tunnel. | | | | not only richer in dollars, but even richer in |
| Inside, you learn what is frightening your potential | | | | authentic relationships. |