ROI and The Salesperson, Don't be a "Fool with a Tool!"

I'm sure you have heard the old adage "a fool with a tool is still a fool."  It is certainly true when we start talking Return On Investment tools.  Today with wireless Ipads and tablets, salespeople are equipped to present mobile, personalized presentations to prospects and clients.  Marketing and Sales Enablement organizations have worked hard to support these efforts.  Often ROI calculators are included as a part of these presentations tools.  Herein lies the danger.  ROI is part of calculations used in the cost analysis by many purchasing departments, Chief Purchasing Officers as well Chief Financial Officers.  ROI used by sales persons is just a part of, not the sum total of  the value assessment process and should be presented in that context. If you try to present ROI outside of the value assessment process you could very well become the fool with the tool.

When speaking about the book ROI Selling,  by Michael J. Nick and Kurt M. Koenig, Brian S. Sommers, Vice President, Research Services, Aberdeen Group said " selling tools to top executives is okay as long as the executive is a mechanic. ROI Selling isn't about having an ROI calculation tool. It's about guiding a buyer to a solution that solves a real business problem and keeping them engaged through the benefits delivery."  Value assessment , of which ROI is a component, is a process in which the customer/prospect is a key participant.  To use ROI successfully, as part of that process, the customer/prospect must buy in and participate in that process.  If you have a tool that calculates ROI without that buy in and participation by the customer/ prospect, good luck! and you are a good candidate for being a fool with a tool.

To help you use ROI as  a part of the value assessment process, I suggest the following resources:
1. ROI Selling, the book by Michael J. Nick and Kurt M. Koenig.
2. Pretium Partners,  Columbus, OH, a consulting firm that provides some of  "the best" sales training in the value assessment process. Go to their website http://www.pretiumpartners.com/ and sign up for their free webinars and the email delivered newsletter "Sharpen Your Edge."
3.Alinean,  http://www.alinean.com/ value messaging , interactive tools and training for today's more skeptical, frugal buyer.