Four Simple Rules to Success in Complex Sales

I learned from working and collaborating with Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cabrera Lab that every complex system actually operates on very simple rules. They developed the DSRP theory to identify and explore the simple rules and tools of (systems) thinking. Last year, I partnered with them to use Membrain’s data to write a research paper about the importance of engaging stakeholders in complex sales and how to use DSRP to create a shared mental model.

That got me thinking about the “simple rules” that define a successful sales team in the complex sales world. And here’s what I came up with: four things that define a truly successful sales team engaged in complex B2B sales:

1. Map The System and the Gap
   Most buyers in a complex sales environment don’t fully understand their own company or the many systems that intersect with the problem they are trying to solve. A successful sales team in this environment is the one that can help the buyer map those systems and their relationship to the problem, and then develop a shared  mental model of the gap between where the systems are today, and where stakeholders want them to be.

2. Engage the Right Stakeholders
   

   Our research paper with Cabrera Labs revealed that in every complex sale, there is an ideal number (4-5 in our specific context) of stakeholders a successful sales team will reach. But the “right number” is only effective if it’s also the right people. In mapping the system, the sales team must pay attention to who is impacted by the problem, who would be impacted by a solution, and who has influence and a relevant stake in the outcome. 

   Engaging these stakeholders must also include mapping them and their relationship to the problem, their perspectives, and their needs, so that you can identify the gap as they see it, too.

3. Have Courageous Conversations
   One big mistake salespeople often make is trying to be “nice” and not cause any friction within the sales relationship. The most successful salespeople, on the contrary, are the ones willing to have the difficult conversations, engage with friction points, and openly discuss hurdles and risks. Buyers are already aware of their own risk and have plenty of their own fears. Avoiding these discussions forces those fears and risks to fester. Discussing them openly enables you to work together to find a way through them. The salesperson who proactively discusses risks, what could go wrong, who might get fired, and what hurdles stand in the way, is the salesperson who earns the buyer’s trust and the right to help them resolve those concerns.
4. Build the Bridge
   Once your stakeholders understand the map and the gap and have agreed on a shared mental model of the desired outcome, a successful sales team builds the bridge that will cross that gap. Instead of simply pushing a product or one-size-fits-all “solution,” they demonstrate how their suggested solution specifically addresses the identified gap and helps the entire team of stakeholders achieve the desired state envisioned in their shared mental model.

The sales team that can fully commit to and execute on these four simple rules is a sales team that will crush their numbers. What are the rules that define your team’s success? And what are you doing to make sure everyone on the team is executing on them?