Get in Closers, we're talking strategy!
My modern take on the age old ACE Strategy
As salespeople, we need all the help we can get to connect authentically, provide clear value, and lead prospects towards a confident decision, without feeling “salesy”.
I realize that I’ve been posting articles on Substack, as if they will be picked up by Huff. Po., or something. While I do try to offer insight and reflect on current events, I’m going to use this article, to talk shop, in a less formal way, and get granular on strategy.
To kick off the discussion let’s use one I picked up early in my career and was made memorable by its acronym; the ACE strategy. It stands for Acknowledge, Connect, and Explain. This is a client-focused framework, that uses action words, and directs the flow of the discovery and consideration phases of the sales arc.
Acknowledge: Begin by acknowledging the prospect's challenges and pain points, demonstrating empathy and understanding.
Connect: Bridge the gap between their problems and your solution, showing how your offer solves their specific challenges.
Explain: Help them visualize the results they'll achieve by working with you, making the transformation tangible and exciting.
While this has helped me successfully build deals, it’s the quality of the questions asked following this rigid sequence that has not stood up over time.
A new version of the ACE strategy, that adds power to every touchpoint including discovery, consideration, negotiation and closing phases.
Appreciation: A quick thanks for getting on the call, expression of gratitude for their interest, a gift of knowledge or a joke.
Confirmation: Confirming the time allocated for the call, repeating the clients answers back to them,
End Goal: Setting clear expectations and purpose at the outset of every call, appointment, email.
These outcome-focused words anchor the dialog with your customer, and pull it through a narrowing funnel. Hitting this sequence repeatably, keeps questions, decisions and expectations clear for salesperson and customer.
Real world examples of what this can sound, for each, can sound like …
Appreciation: “I understand how busy you must be and I want to help you solve this problem, with the right information and at a time that is right for you.”
(Let’s the prospect set the tone for the call.)
Confirmation: “I want to make sure we’re taking next steps at the most convenient time for you so that I can provide the dedicated service you should expect from a salesperson/agent/consultant. Is [now/tomorrow/next Monday] an ideal time?”
OR
"Are we still good for X amount of time for this call? Do you have a hard stop?”
(Let’s them know I’m prioritizing them, not just the potential sale. These questions honor your prospect’s time and discover how to pace the consultation or appointment. Are they flexible/open to suggestions, in a rush or prefer to move carefully.)
End: makes them think about the end goal of the call and potentially uncover a solution they are seeking, but didn’t articulate previously.
Confirmation: “What made you want to get on this call today/in the first place?”
(It allows the client to set the trajectory of the call. There is a good chance they are going to share their pain point and some nuggets of info in the answer itself. )
Appreciation: “Because you’ve made this time for me, I want to show you how we can solve this problem in a way that would make you feel truly satisfied.”
(This can set the tone. Show the prospect that you respect their time and the decisions to express their interest and that you will remain engaged in a negotiation right from beginning.)
Confirmation: “How have you tried to solve this problem in the past. Why didn’t it work?
(Helps you understand their baseline knowledge of your industry, their potential budget, timeline and pain points to address in your pitch as well as the potential challenges.)
End Goal: What would make this a home run for you?
(Use this question during the “discovery” phase to create alignment and make the client think about an end goal, free of constraints and potentially uncover an ideal, they hadn’t articulated previously.)
What are your favorite questions to ask during a sales call? Do you use a different methodology or acronym?