The “Sales Process” begins with prospecting, where does it end?

This question was posted in a discussion group recently.  I was initially, not interested in commenting until I read some of the responses such as “ It never ends. You should be able to built up a personal relationship with the customer.” or “A great relationship never ends. Value the relationship, not the transaction, you want that person’s friends, relatives and associates as customers.”

These are laudable and accurate statements.  Everyone should be aware of the high value of positive existing client relationships. 

However, I think it is dangerous to assume the the “Sales Process” has no end.  I will throw out my definition and build the argument from there.  A Sales Process is “the initiation, pursuit and closing of a unique opportunity to capture revenue at a specific point in time”.  One might pursue several distinct opportunities inside one account; pursue multiple opportunities in sequence or even add-on new sales once an initial deal has been consummated.  However, each should be viewed and executed with the goal of capturing an outcome (“Yes” or “No”).

Here is why:

1) In the absence of a unique process, with an identifiable outcome (close), it would be virtually impossible to accurately forecast revenue or create predictability.

2) Having a distinct end to the selling process executed provides information about customer buying behavior (analyze wins and losses).  This is predictive in future marketing and selling activities.  Basically, it makes effectiveness measurement easier, therefore more useful.

3) In the absence of a process with an identifiable outcome (end), it would be virtually impossible to bring the corporation’s limited resources to work efficiently on opportunities that have specific revenue attainment as the outcome.  In other words, if there is no “end” to a selling process, how will the company, or a sales person, know where to spend time and resources?

4) Each identified opportunity in any particular account is unique.  Each opportunity will have different stakeholders, different objectives, different evaluation processes and different time frames for conclusion.  The company should recognize each opportunity as a unique set of factors and outcomes and manage according to the specifics of that opportunity to maximize the chances of success.   

I look at the “Sales Process” executed for each opportunity as having a fairly distinct beginning, middle and end.  The end is identified by either a decision not to purchase OR a decision and action to purchase.  Within any particular account, a sales person might lose one opportunity, and win another completely independent from the other.

This is not to imply that there is not another, separate process of “Account” or “Relationship Management”  where  the focus should be on:

1) Fulfillment of service commitments/maximize client satisfaction

2) Retention of the relationship

3) Identify Opportunities to renew or sell additional products/services (finding a new opportunities to execute the “Sales Process” )

Whereas the Account Management process may have no identifiable end, I think it is important for organizations to recognize a beginning and end (close) to the “Sales Process” executed for each Opportunity. 

Happy Selling!