The marines have a process for assessing military situations called SMEAC.  SMEAC stands for SITUATION, MISSION, EXECUTION, ADMINISTRATION/LOGISTICS AND COMMAND/SIGNAL.  This can also be used for planning a call.   SMEAC can also represent SITUATION/ENVIRONMENT, MISSION, EXPECTATIONS, ACTION and CONTROL. 

But the process is basically the same.  We must first understand what is going on at the account.  I call this process the "gathering" process.  

If you apply a farming mentality to the account selling cycle, you view it as follows:

Water, Till or Turn the Soil, Water, Plant Seeds, Water, Fertilize, Water, Treat for Pests, Water, Harvest, Go To Market, Invest, Turn The Soil, Etc... the cycle continues with the next crop.

Something farmers also do is rotate crops as well as fields they grow them in, so they do not make the earth go bad.  They protect their top-soil carefully.  This can be representative of making sure to plant new crops in new fields; the value of prospecting.

When we gather information it is very similar to gaining an understanding of a situation or similar to turning the soil to get ready to plant seeds.  We aren't quite sure yet what the market will bear - so we must test the waters and talk with many people at the account to understand their current environment.  The internet helps reduce this research significantly.

I now thoroughly review a company's website prior to picking up the phone or writing an email to anyone there.   I look for commonalities in what the company is trying to do (their mission), companies they do business with, competitors (often found through Hoover's Online), and officers of the company.  I learn if I know someone related to a senior manager by reviewing the senior officers of the company.  In a couple of cases I personally knew the Sr. VP of Information Services or CIO from a previous job and was able to leverage that to get a "warm" appointment.

After gaining an understanding of the environment or situation, I then develop an account or call "mission".   I must know why I am calling and how I think I can help a company in order to write my introduction email.  At this point, I write an introduction statement.

The statement must answer these questions:

  Who I am?

  Why I am calling?

  What I've done for someone else  or idea that triggered the "mission"

  The prospect must respond with interest, just like in Tennis, hitting the ball over the net

  When can we meet to discuss this further?

This statement can be delivered via email, which personally I find the most successful way of engaging prospects today.  It can also be reinforced or delivered either in person or over the phone.  The basic W questions must be answered though.  What I don't answer over the phone or in an introduction are the HOW questions.  I answer "HOW" questions after we meet.

Working your plan is essential to your success.  

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