Collaborative Selling

What it does:
Helps salespeople sell more effectively by establishing long-term collaborative relationships with customers.

It''s other names:
Cooperative selling

Where it comes from:
Top salespeople have always sold more by helping customers solve their problems. This concept was enlarged and given a new name, Collaborative Selling, by Anthony J. Alessandra and Rick Barrera. They explained the concept in their 1993 book Collaborative Selling: How to Gain the Competitive Advantage in Sales (Wiley).

Summary:
When they use Collaborative Selling, salespeople act a lot like consultants who help clients identify and solve problems. A Collaborative Sale results when a salesperson follows these steps:
- Gathering information -- The salesperson and client discuss current operational problems and explore whether the salesperson's product or service can solve them. If the salesperson is not able to help the customer, he or she will offer referrals to other consultants or companies who can. The idea is to build long-term success by establishing collaborative relationships with potential customers, not merely closing sales.
- Conducting individualized sales sessions -- There are no "one size fits all" presentations or sales calls. A collaborative salesperson respects the customer's time by limiting discussions to topics that apply.
- Making a commitment, not just a sale -- When a sale is made, it doesn't feel like a sale, but like the start of a long-term collaboration to solve a problem.
- Strengthening the relationship -- The salesperson follows up and continues to give advice, much like a consultant. Again, the intent is to demonstrate a high level of interest and commitment.
This approach bundles together selling, consulting and marketing. It can be a potent process that builds relationships for salespeople who are willing to invest the time.

What else you need to know:
There is a second kind of collaborative selling you should know about, too. A salesperson establishes a cooperative relationship with a consultant or vendor, and they work as a team to identify potential clients and offer them consultant-like services. By sharing contacts and working together, they bring more value to clients and as a result, they generate more business than they could working on their own.