Sales playbooks are a foundational tool for any sales team. Sales playbooks provide clear and concise guidelines and best practices to help your sales reps be more effective and consistent in their selling. In addition, sales playbooks commonly include defined plays for certain challenging sales situations.
So, when we think of sales playbooks, it’s not unreasonable to imagine the sales manager as a football or basketball coach, calling in specific plays at the game's crucial moment. But what about selling situations where a defined “play” may not be applicable? For example, an average sales call.
For these more common sales situations, consider a different sport: baseball, a fluid game where plays are not typically called by a coach in the same structured manner. While there are some specific plays in baseball (e.g., hit-and-run, squeeze play, double steal, etc.), the game is more reactive and situational than sports with set plays. Coaches may give general instructions to players based on the game situation, but the execution often depends on the players' skills and decision-making at the moment. Just like a batter facing the pitcher alone without knowing what pitches they will get, the sales rep conducting routine discovery calls must also depend on their skills and judgment during a sales call.
So, what is the key to a baseball hitter's success that we can also apply to sales reps? Plate approach.
What is the Plate Approach?
In baseball, "plate approach" refers to a hitter's strategy and mindset when they step up to bat. This includes how they plan to handle different types of pitches, their stance, swing mechanics, pitch recognition, and overall game plan for the at-bat. A good plate approach involves several key elements:
- Pitch Recognition: Hitters need to identify the type of pitch (fastball, curveball, slider, etc.) quickly and accurately and its location as it approaches the plate. Recognizing the pitch helps a batter decide whether to swing.
- Pitch Selection: Understanding which pitches to swing at and which to let go is often called "plate discipline." This means recognizing strikes from balls and knowing when to take a pitch or swing based on the count and situation.
- Count Awareness: Knowing the count and adjusting the approach accordingly. For example, with no strikes, a hitter might be more selective, looking for a pitch they can drive. With two strikes, the approach may shift to protecting the plate and making contact.
- Situational Hitting: Tailoring the approach to the game situation, such as advancing a runner, hitting a sacrifice fly, or aiming for a specific part of the field to exploit a defensive shift.
- Mental Preparedness: Staying focused, confident, and adaptable throughout the at-bat, even if the initial plan needs to change based on the pitcher's actions or the umpire's strike zone.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all plate approach, baseball coaches will say hitters are far more likely to succeed when they consistently approach the plate with a plan.
Applying a Plate Approach to Your Sales Calls
A salesperson can apply the concept of a "plate approach" to their sales calls by adopting a clear plan, much like a baseball player does at the plate. Here’s an example of a plate approach that you can adopt for your sales calls:
- Plan the Call: For a successful salesperson, meticulous planning and preparation are crucial before engaging with a potential customer. By understanding the buyer's needs, preferences, and prior interactions, you can tailor your approach and maximize the chances of a successful sale. This means researching the account before the call, reviewing your notes from previous calls, and developing a call objective. It also means identifying the gaps in your understanding of the customer’s situation.
- Build Relationships: A robust relationship with a buyer translates to more influence. The buyer respects your expertise, values your input in decision-making, and is more likely to become a long-term customer. Building rapport and trust with a customer is foundational to a strong business relationship. Therefore, it is critical to think about how you will build rapport with the customer before the call.
- Discovery Questions: Understanding a customer’s problems, initiatives, and challenges is crucial for providing a resonating solution. A sales rep should plan the questions they want to ask the customer in advance. These questions should focus on uncovering significant problems or concerns and helping the buyer explore the impact of their problem. You should also consider whether you have identified other key stakeholders and understand their issues and concerns.
- Present Solutions: If you’re ready to make a sales presentation, consider how well your presentation explicitly connects the buyer’s need to your solution. Are you differentiating your solution from the competition? Can you quantify the benefits of your solution?
- Objections: What objections do you expect the customer to raise? What can you do to overcome these objections?
- Gain Commitment: The ultimate objective of your sales call is to secure the customer's commitment. Even on a preliminary call, you should be prepared to ask for some form of commitment, whether for a follow-up meeting or access to another key stakeholder.
Your plate approach to a sales call should become the pre-call routine you apply consistently, just like great hitters. By applying these elements, a salesperson can enhance their effectiveness, build better client relationships, and increase their chances of closing deals successfully.
