Business Strategy & Marketing
Sales Assessment Results by Kasie Lofton Smith

"I need to check if this aligns with our current business strategy before moving forward."

I totally get that, and it’s actually a really smart thing to do. Alignment with your current strategy as to not create friction is the goal, however I’m confident I can help you identify some potential gaps (or you wouldn’t be here, right?), and implement a few new things to help improve your overall performance and revenue. Are you open to a brainstorming session with me so we can define some areas of weakness?

The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's need to check alignment with their business strategy, showing empathy and understanding. However, while it mentions the ability to identify gaps, it could benefit from a more explicit exploration of the prospect's current strategy. Phrasing like, "I see you're focused on X, how does that align with your current initiatives?" could enhance the curiosity and discovery aspect. The invitation for a brainstorming session is a good collaborative approach, but it should include a clearer value proposition on what the session could achieve. Overall, the tone is appropriate, and it maintains a solution-focused approach, but it could tighten up by asking more targeted questions. Score: 7/10.

"We've had some issues with similar solutions in the past; how can you assure me this won't be the case?"

Sure, let’s start by looking at some of the specific issues that you’ve experienced and areas that might have caused friction. I usually book a specific strategy session for this, but how about we go ahead and map out some of these solutions together. I’m confident we can get creative and be proactive to avoid some of these same scenarios you’ve had in the past.

The response effectively addresses the prospect's concern by inviting them to share specific issues, which shows curiosity and a willingness to understand their past experiences. The suggestion to book a strategy session indicates a proactive approach, aligning with consultative selling techniques. However, while the response is collaborative, it could benefit from explicitly reassuring the prospect about how your current solution differs from past experiences, perhaps by highlighting unique features or offering case studies. Overall, the tone is appropriate for the business strategy and marketing industry, and it successfully engages the prospect. Score: 8/10

"I like your offering, but can we really justify the cost at this point in our budget cycle?"

Budget is important, but so is marketing. Here’s the thing- not having a solid strategy in place is costing you far more than you realize. Studies show that companies who invest in a consistent marketing strategy have a 30-40% higher revenue growth, than those who don’t. Trying to “save” by not making a move is like plugging your boat with duct tape as the water keeps rising. The real question isn’t whether you can afford it, but how much you’re loosing by doing nothing. Marketing and consulting aren’t unnecessary expenses, they’re the tools that help scale and grow your business. If you want different results, you have to take different actions. Let’s look at how we can start collecting more money now, rather than having to play catch up later.

The response effectively addresses the budget objection by emphasizing the long-term value of investing in marketing. It uses a strong metaphor about the boat to illustrate the risks of inaction, which engages the prospect's imagination. The salesperson also incorporates statistics to support their argument, which helps to validate their claims and demonstrate the potential return on investment. However, while the message is persuasive, it lacks a specific closing technique that encourages immediate action, such as suggesting a follow-up meeting or a pilot project. Overall, the tone is appropriate for the business strategy and marketing industry, and the response shows a good understanding of the prospect's perspective. It could be improved by asking a few exploratory questions to further engage the prospect and gather more information about their specific budget constraints. Score: 8

"With so many ongoing projects, I'm not sure we have the bandwidth to implement something new right now."

It sounds like you’re a bit stretched thin. Having a system in place will not only create order, but will free up time as we automate a lot of what you’re likely having to do manually. If I could show you areas that we could streamline and automate- it will help free you up to do the things you do best. I love helping people like you find more ways to work ON the business, rather than IN the business- which we all know is the ultimate goal. What areas specifically are taking up a lot of your time, but don’t necessarily require your skill set?

This response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern about bandwidth, which shows active listening. The salesperson communicates clearly and maintains a supportive tone, emphasizing the benefits of implementing a new system. By offering to identify specific areas for improvement, they utilize a solution-focused approach and encourage discovery through thoughtful questioning. However, they could enhance their closing technique by suggesting a next step, such as scheduling a follow-up discussion. Overall, this response demonstrates a strong understanding of the prospect's situation and offers valuable insights.

"I'm concerned about how this will be received by my team; we had a bad experience with a previous vendor."

That’s understandable. Tell me more about your team and each of their key roles. What specifically do you think caused the “bad experience” previously? I’d love to help you identify potential points of friction and implement a plan to make sure the team feels confident and included as we move forward. Team morale and commitment is extremely important to me. I’d also like to hear some solutions you guys implemented after that situation, if any- that you felt were successful?

This response effectively addresses the prospect's concern by demonstrating empathy and a willingness to understand their previous negative experience. The salesperson uses a consultative approach, asking open-ended questions to uncover details about the team and past issues, which is crucial in building rapport and trust. The mention of team morale indicates a solution-focused mindset, aligning with the prospect's needs. However, there could be a stronger emphasis on how the current offering specifically addresses the issues faced previously, which would enhance the value exploration. Overall, this response shows curiosity and active listening, making it a solid effort.

"I've seen similar solutions that are cheaper; what's the unique value you offer compared to them?"

While I’m sure those people were offering a great service, I’m confident in what I bring to the table. Not only do we focus on business strategy and high level marketing campaigns, but I am actually a Certified Behavior Analyst and Life Coach with 10 years experience building businesses myself. My goal is to not only help you develop a winning strategy that generates more revenue and builds the face of your brand, but to understand the nature of your brand and the science behind how and why your customers buy. Once you understand from a neuroscience perspective why people buy- things will make sense in more areas than just marketing. It’s one of my favorite parts of working with entrepreneurs. I can’t wait to dive deeper into the analytics of your behavior and identifying that of your ideal customers.

The response effectively highlights the salesperson's unique qualifications, demonstrating a strong value proposition through their background as a Certified Behavior Analyst and Life Coach. They emphasize the depth of understanding they bring to the table, beyond just marketing strategies, which could appeal to clients looking for more than just surface-level solutions. However, while they mention understanding customer behavior, they could improve by directly addressing the prospect's concern about cheaper alternatives. A follow-up question to explore the specific needs or concerns of the prospect could enhance engagement and demonstrate active listening. Overall, the tone is professional and enthusiastic, which is appropriate for the industry. A little more focus on how these qualifications translate to tangible benefits for the prospect would strengthen the response. Score: 8

"I really need to see some evidence of ROI before I can get buy-in from my partners on this."

Absolutely! Here are a couple of the most recent cases we’ve been working on. I helped ____ take their online presence from non-existent to a full blown recognizable brand online. They had built their business primarily traditional through brick and mortar, however they were leaving so much money on the table by not utilizing the online space. In just under 3 months their page now sees around ___ views, consistent engagement, and we built in a direct booking link in their bio which has not only saved time, created automation and efficiency, but 45% of their customers are now online bookings. Without their social media presence that’s a huge chunk of revenue that previously wouldn’t have existed.

The response effectively addresses the prospect's objection regarding ROI by providing a specific case study that illustrates the value of your service. You clearly communicated the before-and-after scenario, highlighting key metrics such as engagement and booking conversions. However, you could enhance the response by including a direct statement of the ROI percentage or dollar value generated for the client. This would provide a more quantifiable answer to the prospect's request for evidence. Additionally, it would be beneficial to ask follow-up questions to further understand their specific concerns or criteria for evaluating ROI, which would demonstrate active listening and a collaborative approach. Overall, good use of storytelling to illustrate value, but could benefit from more quantifiable evidence and engagement with the prospect's needs.

"Can you explain how your service fits with our compliance requirements?"

Absolutely, we follow all legal regulations when it comes to wording and claims with the FTC and train all of our staff on compliant verbiage as to protect the consumer from an issues. When we do our initial assessment together I will be happy to dive deeper into any company specific rules and regulations you need us to abide by as well.

The response effectively addresses the compliance concern by affirming adherence to legal regulations and offering reassurance about staff training. However, it could benefit from more engagement by asking questions to uncover specific compliance needs the prospect may have. The tone is professional, which suits the business strategy and marketing industry, but it lacks a closing technique to prompt further discussion or action. Overall, while it demonstrates understanding and communicates value, it could enhance curiosity and collaboration. Score: 7

"I'm worried about the timing; we’re in the middle of a critical phase and can't afford disruptions."

Understandable. Tell me more about the phase in which you’re currently in and why you think this might cause friction? Majority of what I do, is done without you needing to lift a finger. Implementing systems as we see fit and prioritizing effective solutions that align with your timeline are essential for me.

The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern about timing, which is a positive aspect of active listening. By asking for more information about the current phase, the salesperson shows curiosity and a willingness to understand the prospect's situation better. However, the communication could be clearer and more concise. The phrase "without you needing to lift a finger" may come off as dismissive regarding the prospect's concerns about disruption. Instead, it would be beneficial to emphasize how the solutions can be integrated smoothly without causing interruptions. Additionally, while the response hints at a solution-focused approach, it could more explicitly outline how the proposed systems will align with the prospect's critical phase to alleviate their worries. A stronger closing technique could also be employed, such as suggesting a follow-up meeting to discuss how to proceed without causing disruptions. Overall, the response is on the right track but needs refinement to enhance clarity and empathy.

"I have to run this by my team, and we have a complex decision-making process; how do you usually handle that?"

Absolutely, everyone should be on the same page once we get started. Tell me more about your process you currently use? Is there a chance I can have a call with the team once you and I have a solid idea of what it is your company needs? I’m happy to include and discuss our plans with anyone who has questions.

The response addresses the objection effectively by acknowledging the need for consensus within the team and expressing a willingness to collaborate. The salesperson invites further discussion about the decision-making process, which shows curiosity and a desire to understand the client's needs better. However, the closing technique could be stronger by emphasizing the value of including the team in the conversation and perhaps offering to share specific insights or tailored solutions that align with their decision-making criteria. Overall, the tone is appropriate for the industry, and the collaborative approach is commendable, but it could benefit from a bit more focus on value exploration and urgency. Consider reinforcing the benefits of a team discussion and how that could expedite the decision-making process and highlight the unique value your solution offers.