Stringboard vs Pipeline CRMs

Stringboard vs Pipeline CRMs

Enterprise Sale Closed Won Stringboard Stakeholder Maps

Who is Stringboard really built for?

  • Sales Leaders

Why do Sales Leaders Love Stringboard?

  • To help their teams close complex enterprise sales more effectively in consultative sales environments

What Kind of Products or Services are best sold with Stringboard?

  • Complex products with bespoke engagement models
  • High cost service engagements
  • Deep consultative sales models
  • Ongoing Relationship Management 

Key Outcomes for Sales Teams with Complex High Cost Products or Services with Stringboard

  • Visually Identify powerful decision-makers who can make or influence purchase decisions
  • Teach your sales team to develop informal relationships to gather the intel that will help them close more deals
  • Build detailed observational profiles of your key contacts at your target accounts so you can capture the critical human intelligence other sales teams miss
  • Work with your team to understand and predict the buying decision making group behaviour that leads to winning major business
  • Strategically navigate office politics at your target clients, with the ability to track and leverage key champions, relationships, and sub-networks
  • Hit sales targets without costly delays and wasted resources – stop getting blindsided by hidden office politics at your target client organisations
Deal Lost, Closed Lost in CRM Pipeline

Who are Pipeline CRMs really built for?

  • Management teams 

Why do Management use Pipeline CRMs?

  • To predict revenue across large field sales forces and enforce standardised sales playbooks

What Kind of Products or Services are best sold with Pipeline CRMs?

  • Simple low cost products with repeatable playbooks
  • Low cost service engagements
  • Transactional sales model
  • Short sales cycles
Key Outcomes for Sales Teams with Complex High Cost Products or Services with Pipeline CRMs
  • Zero value for salespeople in filling in the Pipeline CRM systems – These tools track revenue realisation, but does nothing to actually help sales teams sell
  • Difficult for sales leaders to offer strategic guidance on major accounts, with little to no visibility of the political dynamics within the accountr

Selling with a Pipeline CRM Tool vs Selling with Stringboard: A Tale of Two Enterprise Sellers

Jon and his Enterprise Sales Pipeline CRM tool

Part 1: Enterprise Salesperson gets a Fresh Lead from Marketing

Jon Salesman Stage 1 - Outreach

Jon emails Fred in Marketing Team 

Fred agrees to meet for a Coffee 

Jon learns for this kind of sale, Daniel from IT, Sally from the Business and the CEO will need to be Involved in the decision 

Fred lets Daisy know he has to run to his Daughter Jessica’s Clarinet practice 

CRM Pipeline Sales Opportunity Created

Jon creates a new opportunity in the Pipeline CRM and marks it as a “Qualified Opportunity” 

Jon adds Fred and Daniel’s email addresses as contacts in the Pipeline CRM

Part 2: Presentation to the IT Team

Salesperson presenting to a target prospect

Fred Arranges Initial Presentation to Daniel in IT.

Daniel is willing to learn, but says he needs to think about how the purchase fits into the IT Team’s priorities for the year.

CRM Updated to Stage 2 - Needs Analysis

Jon updates Pipeline CRM to move the deal forward into “Needs Analysis” Stage 2 in his pipeline

Part 3: Blocked, Closed Lost

Daniel blocks the deal on the basis of IT team priorities for the year

Fred is disappointed, and says he is very sorry it didn’t work out 

Deal Lost, Closed Lost in CRM Pipeline

Jon marks the deal “Closed Lost” in the CRM

Act 2: Daisy Finds A Better Way with Stringboard

Part 1: Enterprise Salesperson gets a Fresh Lead from Marketing and Discovers useful intel

Saleswoman Reaching Out to Enterprise Client

Daisy emails Fred in Marketing Team

Fred agrees to meet for a Coffee Daisy learns for this kind of sale, Daniel from IT, Sally from the Business and the CEO will need to be involved in the decision

Fred lets Daisy know he has to run to his Daughter Jessica’s Clarinet practice 

Stringboard CRM Entry Stakeholder Map

Daisy creates a Stringboard on her phone on the way home

In her profile for Fred, she notes his Daughter plays Clarinet.

She adds Sally, Daniel and Erica to her Stringboard, and marks them as part of the Decision Making Group

Part 2: Presentation to the IT Team

Saleswoman presenting to clients

Fred arranges initial Presentation to Daniel in IT

Daisy surprises Fred with some Clarinet sheet music she had from her old school for Jessica

Fred is very impressed Daisy remembered Jessica’s practice

Daniel is willing to learn, but needs to think about how the purchase fits into his priorities for the year

Stringboard CRM Champion Identified

Daisy updates Stringboard, upgrading Fred to a Champion for the deal

Daisy Marks Daniel as a Neutral 

Daisy highlights what she has learned about the good relationship between Fred and Sally as a channel to influence Sally

Part 3: Blocked, Enterprise Salesperson Daisy Finds a New Path to Close the Deal with Stringboard

Stringboard Saleswoman influencing prospective purchaser office politics

Daniel blocks the deal on the basis of IT team priorities for the year

Fred is disappointed, but suggests to Daisy that he also has a great relationship with Sally from the Business Team who might be able to help

Fred has lunch with Sally from the business, she’s interested

Fred lets Daisy know lunch went well, and to expect a call from Sally

Stringboard CRM Relationship Map Positive Relationship

Daisy updates her Stringboard, noting that Daniel is a blocker to the deal, and adding Fred and Sally’s lunch as a key event

Daisy marks that Sally is a supporter, and might be the path forward to close the deal

Part 4: A Hidden Relationship Comes in Handy for Enterprise Salesperson Daisy to Close her Biggest Deal

Enterprise Sales Influence Informal Settings Stringboard CRM

Sally meets together with Daisy, she shares that she knows Phil the General Manager has money left in the budget before the end of the financial year 

Sally also lets Daisy know that her kids and Phil’s play football in the same team most weekends 

Sally raises Daisy’s proposal with Phil on the sideline 

Phil is sold, agrees to present to CEO and influence Daniel

Sally sends Daisy a quick text message to let her know the good news

CRM Stringboard Updated with Relationship Map to Influence Stakeholders Enterprise

Daisy updates her Stringboard, adding Phil as a key player

Daisy adds the hidden relationship between Sally and Phil through their kids football team so she can clearly show her manager the pathway to close the sale

Part 5: Enterprise Sale Closed Won with Stringboard

Enterprise Sale Closed Won Stringboard CRM Stakeholder Maps

Key Decision Makers are all on board 

Erica the CEO, Daniel and Sally sign off on Purchase

Enterprise Sale Closed Won Stringboard Stakeholder Maps

Sally’s manager shares her Stringboard with the whole sales team to show how closing complex enterprise sales is done right