Selecting the Team

OBJECTIVES

• Enhance your story and your likelihood of success by having the right team whose expertise is aligned to your story and whose presence will enhance your message.
• Assemble a team with unique knowledge and expertise that the client will value and who will encourage the client to engage and think differently.

CHALLENGES

• Every sales opportunity and client relationship is different. One subject matter expert might be right for one client situation, but not for another.
• The team is assembled before you even build the story and know what expertise is needed for this client situation.
• You want subject matter experts at the meeting “just in case” even if they do not have a clear role.
• Conflicting schedules get in the way. You may have the best person in mind to cover a particular section of your presentation, but they may not be available on the day of your meeting.
• You work for an organization where you do not control who attends your meeting. People are invited to avoid offending someone or for political reasons. Senior leaders may join to express how valued the client is or to share their vision for the future in a way that you cannot. Managers want to observe you or get a better sense of how client meetings are conducted. Or, your client meeting may be used as a training ground for others.

FIVE PRINCIPLES OF TEAM SELECTION

Selecting the right team is an important part of your sales strategy, so you want to choose wisely. But sometimes who you bring to a sales presentation is out of your control. Regardless of whether you select the team, or your team is handed to you, there are five (5) basic principles that will have a direct impact on the outcome of your meeting.

1. Your story should drive who is on the team, not the other way around.

• Begin by building your story for this client.
• Once you identify your key messages and outline your story, then select the person with the right expertise to cover each section.

2. The composition of your team should reflect that of the buying committee to the extent possible.

• Consider the size of your buying committee and have only as many or fewer people than your client. You never want to outnumber them.
• Think about the make-up of your team from the client’s perspective. Clients want to buy from people who they believe understand them. By reflecting their demographics, your team will more naturally and genuinely empathize with them and their situation. This will heighten the level of engagement in the room.

• Consider the personalities and values of your team and how well they are aligned with the client’s.

3. Every member of the team must have a vital role.

• Each person who attends must have a reason for being there that enhances the story and is valued by the client.
• Their roles must be easily explained during introductions at the beginning of the meeting.

Example:

“Lindsey is here because she is an expert in….and brings a unique perspective on…”

• Do not invite people just because “they want to come” or because “it will be a good learning experience for them”. If this meeting is important, it cannot also be an observation tank or training ground.
• Do not bring subject matter experts to have on hand “just in case”. Having no stated purpose is confusing to the client and having them sit there with nothing to say is distracting.

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4. Each person must have a meaningful speaking role in the meeting.              

• In most cases, team members will cover their section of the presentation. This is their speaking role.
• Even senior executives must have an important and planned speaking role. Being a prop serves no one’s purpose. They can be a great resource to you by lending weight to your solutions and sharing long-term perspectives you may not be aware of that can strengthen your story. They can answer questions the client may have with more impact and gravitas. They can show your organization’s commitment to the client.
• To be clear, no one should attend your meeting who does not have a speaking role and one that the client will value.

5. Every member of the team, regardless of their title, must play an active role in engaging the client.

• Team members should bring new information and perspectives that make the client think differently and prompt meaningful dialogue.
• They should ask questions of the client to better understand their situation and position the team to help.
• Engagement will be at its best when members of the team do their research, in advance, to learn about the client and their situation. Research may include:

The Client Briefing written by the Team Lead

LinkedIn profiles of the clients attending the meeting

The organization’s most recent Letter to Shareholders or 10k if publicly-traded

The organization’s website and latest news feed

TECHNIQUES

Once the team is assembled, there are techniques you can use to ensure a winning performance regardless of who selects the team.

The only difference when a team is handed to you is the amount of upfront work the Sales Lead must do to understand the expertise of each person, determine what role is best for them, and rehearse, both individually and as a team.

A. Build your story and your plan for this meeting

1. Identify your key messages and outline your story.

2. Assign a person to each section of the presentation.

3. Allocate time to each section.

Once each person has the story outline, knows their swim lane, and how much time they will have, they can begin to prepare for the meeting.

B. Brief the team

1. Share your Client Briefing document.

2. Hold a team call to brief them on the situation, discuss the structure of the meeting, and agree on what each member of the team needs to do to prepare.

3. Then conduct one-on-one calls to discuss what they are covering, answer questions, and build up their confidence.

C. Facilitate a team rehearsal

1. Rehearse in character, including how you will introduce yourselves, present your core content, and answer questions you anticipate the client will ask.

2. When giving feedback, be selective and specific, and tell them why it is important. Offer more positive than negative feedback because your job is primarily to build confidence.

3. Track your time and adjust as needed, being sure to leave ample time for the client to ask questions.

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D. Conduct one-on-one rehearsals

Individual rehearsals feel safer. Without peers in the room, you can focus on the individual’s needs and the story they are preparing to tell. One-on-one rehearsals do not stand alone; they complement the team rehearsal by helping each individual become comfortable with their content and confident in their delivery.

1. Have the team member rehearse in character, including how they will introduce themself, present their content, and answer questions they anticipate.

2. Be selective and specific when giving feedback, and tell them why it is important. Positive feedback should outweigh negative feedback because your job is primarily to build confidence.

3. Track their time and help them adjust as needed.

The ultimate goal as a coach is to make your presentation feels natural and spontaneous to everyone in the room.

ADVANTAGES TO YOU

• The subject matter experts are able to address your client’s unique concerns with clarity and expertise, thereby increasing your credibility and building trust in your ability to deliver.
• Each team member’s presence improves the story and positively influences the client.
• Your team has better insight into your client’s challenges because you have the advantage of diverse perspectives.
• The client has confidence in you and the team and can see themselves partnering with you.
• Selecting the right team gets you one step closer to meeting your goal.

ADVANTAGES TO THE CLIENT

• Your performance as a team makes it easier for the client to differentiate you from your competition.
• They feel a special connection with you and the team.
• They see the fit between your two organizations.
• You have made it easy for the client to feel confident in their decision to choose you as their partner.

EXERCISES

Step 1: Select people with the right expertise that aligns with the key messages of your story

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Step 2: Assess how well the team fits this client and their situation

These questions will help you determine if you have assembled the best team for this client and this meeting. If the predominant answer to these questions is “no”, then it is time to rethink your choices.

A. Ask yourself these questions about each individual you have selected:

• Do they bring necessary and specific expertise that is aligned with the agenda for this client meeting?
• Will their presence improve the story?
• Do they have the right personality for this client?
• Do they have a vital speaking role?
• Will they positively contribute to the client’s decision-making process?

B. Look at the team overall and ask these questions:

• Will the size and demographics of my team roughly reflect that of the buying committee?
• Does this team represent the values of this client?

RELATED LESSONS

Building Your Story

Preparing for a Presentation

Briefing the Team

Rehearsing as a Team

Available upon request at info@thebardgroupllc.com