Today’s the day y’all.

We’re concluding our series on Triple A aka Advanced Account Analysis where we’ve focused on meeting clients where they are, understanding their daily frustrations, and determining how we, the tech sales professional, can solve their problems.

Goodbye, self-indulgent sales bro, hello empathetically real sales companion. 

But, before we officially close out this series and you x-out of whatever device you’re reading this on, I’ve got to ask…

What have you learned? What’s your big takeaway? Do you even have one?

If you’re struggling to answer those questions, we’ve got some work to do.

Let’s review how to become aware of industry trends, effective ways to use annual reports, and the all-so-crucial POV and perspective.

Industry Trends

There are two ways to chop more wood. Work longer hours each day or spend a few hours a week sharpening the axe.
Y’all know I’m all about efficiency and effectiveness, and when it comes to sales, this means working smarter, not harder, by using data already created. 

Don’t waste your entire workday compiling data when someone or someones have already done it for you.

I highly recommend both Gartner and Forrester, two companies that gather and interpret relevant data across a variety of industries. They do the leg work, and we reap the benefits by dippin’ in, grabbin’ the knowledge we need, and moving on with our business. Oh, and they are one hundred percent free. 

Now that you’ve got the tools, approach your industry research with curiosity and an open mind. No one knows everything, and humility is a virtue for a reason. 

And lastly, take all of that research and humility to your client with insightful questions like I did with my retail client. I listened, I learned, and I came back asking:

• What are you doing to address the digital revolution with your customers? 

• What products are in place to make that a reality for you and gain a competitive edge? 

Bottom Line: Get to know your clients and their industry so you can make the biggest impact with your understanding, knowledge, and researched-backed solutions.

Annual Reports

Remember what our friends at Indeed.com told us—

 “An annual report is a document that reports a company's information for the year. It is a regulatory report that ensures all shareholders and investors have access to all financial and operating information. Companies are often required to publish this report to maintain an active status with the state in which they conduct business. Shareholders may use this information to learn more about the finances of the company, including their ability to pay debts, whether the company has profited or lost money over the last year, how much money is being reinvested and the operating costs.”

This explanation alone should be enough to incorporate annual reports into your daily reading and account research. Sadly, annual reports are the most underutilized tool by sales professionals. Yeah, I said it.

Let’s shift that by following these four steps to using annual reports:

• Discover deficits – Compare your client’s previous projections with their reality to highlight their real problems.

• Adjust your angle – Tailor your sales pitch to these specific needs so that the company feels seen and heard and you become their sales savior. 

• Grab onto their goals – Steer the conversation based on what you know their goals to be.

• Crush the competition – Annual reports let you know who the competition is. And knowing your competition can ensure you and your clients stay one step ahead.

Pull up those annual reports, take out your highlighters, and go the extra mile. You’ll thank me when that commission check clears. 

POV and Perspective

You can utilize every sales tool and have all the information, but if you don’t understand your client’s POV and perspective, you’re up a creek without a paddle my friend. 

POV, or point of view, gets us into our client's shoes so we can see the situation as they would, then as tech sales professionals, adjust our pitch to fit their needs and priorities. Formulating a specific point of view gives us an advantage when selling and solving problems.

It’s the means to an end y’all, and you and your client will have what it takes to succeed.

Remember to ask yourself some of these questions before putting together your next proposal:

• How does this product help clients achieve their KPIs?

• How can my product make things easier both short and long run for the client?

• Where does this product fill gaps in the client’s current workflow? 

• Where is the money coming from to finance this project?

• What is the client struggling to accomplish right now? 

• What end goals do all decision makers involved have top of mind this year?

What’s Next?

That’s a wrap on our Triple-A Series - Advanced Account Analysis. And now that you’ve got a down and dirty refresher, it’s time to use what you learned in the real world and with your clients. 

But, before you go, I’ve got one last step for you to take. 

Join a community of tech sales professionals who are building a better world through empathetic selling and problem-solving. 

Lissen, I know that everyone doesn’t have the budget for another monthly membership—although this Patreon is pure gold so you may wanna give it some thought—plus y’all know I’ve always got a freebie or two ready for instant download, and implementation. 

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