We often talk about aligning your selling process with the customer’s buying process. Like many best practices, knowing you need to do it and actually achieving it are two very different things. That’s why we focus on Customer Verifiable Outcomes (or CVO’s).They are a key part to bringing your sales process into alignment with your buyer.
CVOs are the actions your customers take as they progress through their buying process. They indicate their “buying” state-of-mind. Perhaps you have documented pain points and implications of the customer’s current situation or you know that the organization is ready to invest resources.
Use CVOs to your advantage. They are the criteria that earns you the right to advance the opportunity to the next stage of the buying process. If you qualify them, you get verification in areas where you would otherwise be guessing. Another opportunity to leverage CVOs is with your Champion in the organization.
A Champion will sell for you when you are not there. They will:
- Have Access to the Economic Buyer
- Possess Organizational Credibility, Influence & Power
- Promote you within the organization
Speak openly with your Champion about CVO’s and their company’s upcoming actions. Champions care about CVO’s and can directly influence the outcomes. Champions will advance the process and keep you informed. By verifying CVOs, you can determine what these customers think about your company, your solutions and your participation in their buying process.
