On Target Selling: Using a Scope to See Your Target. Successful Selling Through the Lens of Project Manager.

In On Target Selling a salesperson not only sells by hitting bullseye most of the time and in the other quadrants (knowledge, skill, relationships and process) when needed, but they can also hone in on their target with sniper like accuracy and continually track it (the opportunity) because they can also view it through their scope. One of these scopes has the lens of a Project Manager.

Selling like a Project Manager has the sales person focused on the keys to project management during the sales process. This can improve the likelihood of a closing the deal and better yet a successful outcome. A sales person who knows the project is bound by the “Iron Triangle” otherwise known as the project constraints of time, scope and cost has the first major component of selling like a project manager down. Knowing the concept of the Iron Triangle is key not only to project management, but to consultative sales. The Iron Triangle shows us that time, scope and cost are all so closely related and that they impact each other greatly. The triangle shows us that if you change any one side, the entire shape changes. As is with a project, if you change one of these characteristics the others much change. Fr example, if you change the scope, the project will either take longer or it will cost more (because of added resources). Once the sales person knows this, they can help to clearly define these early in the process and lock them in early. If that is the case, they are acting in a role that better serves the customer.

Additionally, one of the first steps in Project Management is to gather all the stakeholders. In the case of selling like a project manager, the same holds true. A salesperson should include all of the needs of all of the customers, including the typical users. As salespeople we sometimes end up selling to the IT influencer and the people of power (C-Level check writers). As long as they can develop a scope of work with us, we can deliver a system, and everyone appears to be happy. Project Managers tend to spend a little more time in the Initiating Phase, gathering ALL of the stakeholders and getting the Voice of the Customer (VoC). When Selling Like a Project Manager your focus should be getting all the stakeholders together including the system’s typical users.

Lastly, an On Target Selling Expert will make sure they keep Quality, Risk and Customer Satisfaction in their sector buy using all of their available Resources. So there you have it, all 7 project management constraints applied to selling: Time, Scope Cost as the Iron Triangle and within it are Quality, Resources, Risk and Customer Satisfaction. Using the Project Manager’s lens in your sniper scope will help you sell better and allow you to focus on the best targets with the keen accuracy and incredible sales efficiency.