Did you know you can use sales battlecards to train your sales team? To do that, though, you need to keep them current. So here are five times to update your sales battlecards:
1) When you get new information about a competitor.
It can be easy to do competitive research once and think you’re done with it – but that would be a mistake. Your competitors are constantly changing and adapting, so you need to stay on top of them. If you start hearing them use a new claim with a prospect, that needs to go on your battlecard. If you learn they are struggling with a certain area or have lost their expertise in a particular field, that should also go on your battlecard.
2) When a competitor changes their messaging.
If your competition changes their messaging, it can indicate a wholesale shift in their value proposition. This is critical information and needs to go on the battlecard. If you have enough intel to understand the motives behind the change, you can use this information to add seed questions and landmines on your battlecard. (Find out more about what to put on your sales battlecards.)
3) When a new counter-argument is proven to work – or not to work.
As your sales team gains more experience countering claims and objections for each competitor, you will learn what works. And you will learn what doesn’t work. Always update your battlecards with successful new counter-arguments. And, just as important, remove counter-arguments that repeatedly fail to work.
4) When you add a compelling new feature.
If you add a new feature that helps you stand out against the competition, you definitely want that on your battlecard. Of course, you almost never want to lead with a feature. But, in the right moment, that information can move a sale strongly in your direction.
5) When you update your company messaging.
If your company takes a new approach to your messaging, your sales battlecards need to reflect that. This is even more true if your value proposition has changed. Your counter-arguments, seed questions, and landmines all need to be in synch with your new messaging.
Sales battlecards need to be kept current.
Sales battlecards are not a stagnant thing. They are tools that need to be updated as new information comes in about your competition. That’s how they can keep your sales team nimble – and closing deals.
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