There are a number of completely different approaches and frameworks used within the gross sales qualification course of. Given the varied methods to find one of the best lead, I believe any method may very well be efficient, relying on the gross sales course of context.
For me, as a SDR in B2B gross sales, I used the BANT framework, in addition to the Challenger Sale methodology. Using them each allowed me to seek out leads and prospects and shut offers. I used to be launched to MEDDIC gross sales earlier than beginning my B2B promoting profession, however I by no means utilized it in my position, however I heard lots about it from different gross sales reps, and the way it was a radical and streamlined the qualification course of for B2B promoting.
On this publish, I’ll share a step-by-step information to the MEDDIC gross sales qualification course of for B2B gross sales representatives.
Desk of Contents:
What’s MEDDIC?
MEDDIC is a gross sales qualification framework and methodology that helps salespeople establish and perceive key facets of a possible deal. The acronym stands for: Metrics, Financial purchaser, Choice standards, Choice course of, Determine ache, and Champion.
Contained in the MEDDIC Gross sales Qualification Course of
The MEDDIC framework explores the completely different parts that go into making a purchase order. By specializing in the shopping for expertise for purchasers, reps can higher perceive prospects’ wants. You may then qualify patrons, so that you’re specializing in those that are a very good match.
When utilizing MEDDIC, you’ll ask questions associated to every of the classes beneath. On the finish of the method, you’ll know extra about every buyer and know who’s an excellent match for your corporation.
Metrics
Quantify the prospect’s monetary objectives and the potential ROI of your answer: What value, time, or effectivity features will matter most?
Financial Purchaser
Determine the particular person or division liable for holding the price range or buying authority. Interact them to align your supply with their priorities.
Choice Standards
Perceive how they consider options, together with technical specs, ROI, integration, usability, and so on.
Choice Course of
Map their inner steps: timeline, stakeholders, approvals, and escalation paths.
Determine Ache
Pinpoint the true challenges or dangers the prospect faces and the way your answer resolves them.
Champion
Construct a trusted advocate inside the group who helps your answer and helps navigate inner hurdles.
Ought to my workforce use MEDDIC?
The Benefits of MEDDIC
1. MEDDIC helps decide if a shopper is an effective match.
Utilizing the MEDDIC framework as a B2B gross sales consultant supplies a transparent path for motion, streamlining the prospecting course of. It helps you identify if the shopper is an effective match by understanding the larger image.
You may collect financials, authority, the decision-making course of, challenges, and the trusted advocate inside their group, all from a single dialog. Granted, gathering the suitable knowledge might take you a couple of conversations, however general, the MEDDIC framework supplies must-have data.
As I discussed, I didn’t make the most of MEDDIC gross sales in my position, however I do know all of those elements are wanted to drive the lead from prospect to shopper. The choice standards and course of alone are useful factors to coordinate your gross sales cycle with their timeline to seal the deal.
Equally, discovering the champion is just like figuring out the best buyer profile (ICP), an idea that’s already broadly adopted in B2B promoting. Going a step additional and seeing the trusted particular person within the firm who understands or helps what you’re promoting makes it a lot simpler to qualify the prospect.
2. You’ll know the exact steps that go into decision-making.
In the case of B2B gross sales, it may be difficult to grasp the prospect’s decision-making course of. Some prospects are available figuring out what they need and how you can transfer the deal ahead. When working with others, you want to probe extra deeply to get them to debate what the method seems to be like for his or her group.
While you use the MEDDIC gross sales framework, the method is easy. You may obtain readability on how they make choices with out assumptions, and that is notably useful when driving the deal. The analysis course of can fluctuate for every firm or group, so having the ability to talk about what’s included will aid you decide how you can proceed.
Making certain that they acknowledge their inner processes takes the decision-making course of a step additional by understanding who’s concerned and what their affect might be.
3. You may create a more practical purchaser’s journey.
Once I mentioned prospect qualification frameworks are useful, it trusted the context of the gross sales course of. That is the place it’s notably efficient in enhancing the client’s journey. Most B2B gross sales reps perceive their promoting cycle and what’s required to assist a prospect progress from a result in a shopper.
Understanding the client‘s journey can provide you their perspective from the client’s perspective, which is exactly what the MEDDIC framework gives. B2B promoting requires including worth propositions to the dialog. Take into account how a lot worth you might spotlight by understanding the prospect’s purchaser journey. You may achieve deeper insights with out being overly pitchy.
The Disadvantages of MEDDIC
1. Your workforce might want to study extra about clients.
This is usually a drawback as a result of the gross sales workforce should dedicate extra time to partaking with prospects. In B2B promoting, this includes each discovery time and follow-up, as it’s difficult on your gross sales workforce to know every buyer.
My finest recommendation is to determine which prospects are value pursuing utilizing the MEDDIC technique by taking step one of making an ICP. If the prospect matches your ICP, then transfer to the subsequent step with MEDDIC.
Nevertheless, not all conversations might be structured sufficient to warrant utilizing MEDDIC, particularly with the quick tempo of chilly calling inside B2B gross sales. You may manage your calls by deciding on 20-25 prospects every week to undergo the MEDDIC framework; that equals 4-5 prospects to talk with and qualify each day. Simplify your method to fight the drawback.
2. Understanding your viewers is important to MEDDIC.
Analysis is important to provoke outreach as a B2B vendor. Figuring out this, it may be difficult to grasp the “excellent” prospect that not solely qualifies for MEDDIC but additionally qualifies as a prospect for the product you’re promoting.
In my expertise, I’ve persistently discovered that understanding the prospect is an ongoing and evolving job. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all method to qualifying. You’ll examine some bins, whereas you’ll utterly miss others.
MEDDIC requires doing all of your homework. In case you don’t already know your excellent buyer, you gained’t be capable to thrive with this framework.
Implementing the MEDDIC Methodology
Implementing the MEDDIC methodology is about shifting the way you present up in conversations. Every MEDDIC step offers you a sharper lens for qualifying offers, however extra importantly, it helps you construct belief, momentum, and affect with each prospect.
Begin merely, keep constant, and frequently refine the way you join, query, and champion actual options. The extra intentional you’re with MEDDIC, the extra assured, consultative, and in management you’ll really feel on each single name.
Editor’s Notice: This publish was initially printed in December 2020 and has been up to date for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.