The Connection Process breaks the traditional sales mold. Because there’s no other revenue growth methodology like it, a powerful new vocabulary naturally grew from our interactions with leaders, businesses, teams and organizations.
Language is a power tool. This vocabulary will help you change your mindset, engage your targets and move your business forward.
Account stages
Aligned Account — You are as well positioned as you can be to cash in on a specific opportunity. You have a connection with a Decision Maker, have identified more than 10 Business and Political Issues, have noted more than two differentiators linked to those issues, and have recognized a multi-project opportunity. You have also gathered a great deal of client intelligence.
Proactive Pursuit — You are actively pursuing an account, moving it toward “Aligned Account” status. You have a connection with a Decision Maker, Champion or Navigator. You have identified more than four Business and Political Issues, and have noted at least one differentiator linked to those issues. You have actively begun gathering client intelligence.
Reactive Pursuit — You have noted an opportunity, but not yet begun to pursue the account.
Business and political issues (B&P Issues) – The things happening inside companies and industries that impact client decisions. They are both emotional and practical issues.
Capture plans – The process of identifying opportunities, assessing the environment and implementing strategies to shape and win a specific account. A capture plan contains the elements and details RESET coaches in The Connection Process.
Champion – Someone within a target client’s organization who has political power and uses it in an appropriately selfish way for your benefit. This person is driving your solution, and ultimately a decision about hiring you, within their internal team.
Client intelligence – An ever-evolving understanding of the client organization’s structure, the people within the org chart, and the business and political issues surrounding the company.
Client pursuit – A company or organization you would like to work with/for. They are the ultimate target within a Capture Plan.
C-Suite – The executive-level leadership within a company or organization.
Decision Maker – The person within a client organization who owns the impact of the purchase and how the purchase relates to the scope of what needs to be done.
Episodic coaches – Industry experts brought in to RESET group coaching sessions. These experts provide insight to broaden your perspective, and offer you a sounding board to pitch your solutions for a candid market critique.
Fiduciary – A person of trust who looks after assets on another’s behalf, and acts within that person’s best interests.
Highly Integrated / Operations connection — Top leaders such as VPs, directors and other influencers that aren’t at the C-Suite level within a target client organization.
Key differentiators – The most critical elements that separate a person, organization or company from its competitors.
Market intelligence – An understanding of the current business and political issues that affect a vertical market.
Market segments – A subset of customers, businesses, users or countries who have common needs and priorities.
Meeting behind the meeting – A smaller group session with partners and preferred service providers who you could potentially leverage to bring new business.
Navigator – The person who will help guide you through the company and find your way around an organization. They help you identify the other key individuals to build relationships with. A Navigator can be inside or outside of the client pursuit.
Owner – The person within a client organization who “owns” the decision, the project and its outcome.
Partner intelligence – Client intelligence provided by your partners. This is further insight into understanding how your impact connects to the Business and Political Issues within a client pursuit.
Project Delivery Partners (PDPs) – Other service providers whom you have developed a strong relationship with, who help you obtain client intelligence and can potentially provide corresponding solutions to your clients.
Paths to connection – The multiple levels and roles within a firm you must connect with to build a more robust account relationship.
Raving fans – A client who is devoted to your firm and your service, and shares with others how much they love what you do.
Smart Client – A leader within a client organization who understands the impact you will have on their business. This person stays on top of what’s edgy in their market, is open to a diverse array of disruptive solutions, and seeks knowledge, wisdom and insight.
Stakeholder – A person, company or organization that has an interest or concern in a project or relationship.
Stewardship to equity – Leveraging good stewardship of funds to become more operationally effective and extract cash out of the budget to grow business and fund capital projects.
Contact Maurielle Balczon for more information about RESET coaching.
