Application Selling
Application Selling is defined as: the ability to identify opportunities within which to position an existing, fixed-scope, yet configurable, offering that delivers a ‘defined outcome’ for the customer to meet a ‘defined need’. This can be sold directly to the customer as a stand-alone application (e.g. an accounting system) or through others as part of a more complex solution (e.g. a Just-in Time manufacturing solution). Application Selling occurs at many levels within the customer. The level at which a sale takes place is frequently dependent on the cost and complexity of the application being sold.
With the aims of:
1) Evidencing to the customer the benefits of the offering being sold in the context of their defined need
2) Showing the customer how their offering can be configured to deliver the defined benefits
3) Creating competitive advantage and a feeling of fondness for their offering in the mind of the key customer decision makers
Candidates require a range of capabilities to perform this role including the ability to:
- Prospect vigorously to identify opportunities
- Identify the customer’s need at a functional level
- Evaluate how well own offering meets customer need
- Build competitive analysis showing own offering in favourable light
- Locate and access decision makers
- Construct a cost/benefit equation for own offering
- Position the offering appropriately to all relevant stakeholders
- Close the sale
