If you’re in channel sales, this article is for you.
I’ve been in channel sales since 2013. I started out as an inside sales rep at a large reseller and for the past four years I’ve been heavily involved in channel leasing and financing. While I wouldn’t call myself an ‘expert’ I would say that I have excellent insights on trends in our industry. Here are three habits I see the best sales reps doing.
1. They offer leasing and financing on every deal
Would you sell a hardware solution without services? Would you sell software without maintenance? Would you keep your company’s value-added resources secret? The obvious answer is a resounding “no.” So, why would you not provide leasing and financing options to your customers with EVERY sale? Alternative payment solutions are incredibly valuable to a customer. It’s the smart way to purchase and sometimes it’s the only way they can purchase.
A lot of businesses are having a really hard time right now with cash flow. Leasing and financing could be the solution to their problems. The ability to get the right solution to stay competitive and make low, fixed payments over time? Yes, please! Some 80% of businesses, of all sizes and industries, are financing all or some of their IT purchases, and this number increases every year.
A simple offering of annual or monthly payments could be the thing that solidifies your relationship with your customer and kicks competition to the curb. It doesn’t have to be pushy, it doesn’t have to be salesy. You are genuinely just giving them another purchasing option. And they appreciate that.
2. They learn about what they’re selling (enough to be dangerous)
The sales reps that take the time to learn about why leasing and financing is important and valuable are the ones who are closing the most deals. They are able to have knowledgeable -relevant- conversations with their customers, creating trust and comfort; allowing them to feel secure in their buying decision. More interestingly, reps who really understand their customer’s business and can talk ‘shop’ at a high level, close bigger deals and make better profits. Customer resistance/objections are less likely if they feel like their sales rep is well-informed on the industry and serves their interests as trusted advisor.
3. They engage the right people at the right time
The most successful leasing and financing deals are the ones where we are engaged early. This gives us time to credit check, run the numbers and get everything in order prior to any potential hiccups. There is zero risk to you, zero risk to your customer and it makes you look like a hero. If we look at a deal and we can’t credit approve it, that’s okay. You move on. At least you have the facts and can take financing off the table so you can find another solution. That’s really all customers want. They want speed, efficiency and for someone to make their lives easier and make them look good to their company.
Positioning finance to your customers can be intimidating, but with the right tools and information, it can be a simple, straight to the point conversation that yields big benefits with your customer relationships and topline. Introduce yourself today and we’ll show you how.
For information on how Tech Data Capital can help you close more deals and help your customers grow their business, visit our website and fill out our “contact us” form.
