How will you maintain sales momentum?

When two companies combine the objective is to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts, but for this to be achieved requires that customers understand the logic of the combined portfolio quickly. Too many companies concentrate on the technical challenges of integrating the portfolio when the early wins come from addressing the sales challenges.

SfS has helped several clients achieve the promise of an acquisition or merger. The case study below gives one example. For more ideas on quickly realising the value from acquisitions and mergers click on the testimonials in the right hand pane.

Case study: Solution vendor gets quick results from its acquisitions

Business Situation	Vendor of network solutions to mobile operators Complete portfolio assembled by acquiring two companies with complementary solutions
Opportunity	Accelerate growth by selling from a complete portfolio of industry solutions
Challenges	Ensuring that the entire salesforce, regardless of which company an individual started in, can sell the logic of the merged company and the value of the complete portfolio Breaking out from a predominantly technical culture
Needs	A way of briefing salespeople quickly on how to sell each of the solutions in the portfolio
Solution	As part of the acquisition plan they engaged SfS to create a sales enablement programme The key step was to clarify and refine the business value of each solution Each solution was provided with the appropriate combination of Sales Guide, Interactive Sales Kit, presentation, success story and white paper A white paper was produced selling the value to the customer of the new, integrated portfolio The sales enablement programme was launched at their annual sales conference and followed up through sales team events
Result	By getting the sales messages to customers quickly through the salesforce, our client gained valuable traction while the technical integration of products proceeded in the background Sales momentum was maintained and customers remained loyal Within 18 months of the sales enablement programme starting, our client’s flagship product rose from number three to number one in worldwide sales.