Telemarketing en 1 / 13

In this episode of the “Performance, Harmony & Commercial” series, Stéphane Depaepe and Camille de Meeûs remind us that handling an objection isn’t about arguing at all costs: it’s about listening, understanding, and guiding.

An objection isn’t a wall but a signal! A client who objects is showing interest, even a little, in your proposal. The “No” doesn’t target the person, but the proposal as it stands at that moment. It becomes a springboard to adjust, clarify, and strengthen the relationship.

The three faces of “No”:

Real objections: the need or budget doesn’t exist
Misunderstandings: a simple misunderstanding to clear up
False fronts: a hidden doubt or fear

The PHCom method in 5 steps:

Accept
Understand
Respond
Validate
Re-propose

This is the key structure to move forward without conflict, avoidance, or giving up.

The “Field, Felt, Found” technique

I understand your concern.
Other clients have felt the same.
They eventually found that...

A simple yet powerful method to reassure with authenticity.

The right reflex: anticipate rather than suffer. Anticipating objections defuses tension before it even arises. And if a refusal still comes? Remember: receiving a “No” proves you dare to offer.

Conclusion:

The “No” is an incomplete conversation, not the end of a dialogue. At PHCom, we see every objection as an opportunity to understand our clients better and move forward together, step by step, toward the golden door at the end of the corridor.

sales #prospection #B2B #commercial #PHCom #podcast #persuasion

The podcast is in French, but a full transcription is available in FR, NL and EN on our website for better accessibility and reading comfort. Our YouTube video version offers subtitles and therefore the same sequencing in German and Spanish.

Series: Performance, Harmony & Commercial – PHCom Knowledge Capsules
Duration: 14 min 32
Recorded at The Podcast Factory Org studio, at Transforma BXL

Click here

Podcast sequencing:

[00:01:07] Handling objections
[00:01:40] You don’t break down an objection with a bulldozer
[00:02:02] A “No” that targets the proposal
[00:02:27] Instinctive reactions
[00:02:54] Distinguishing types of objections
[00:03:24] Using the right words and being clear
[00:03:38] Creating a space for discussion
[00:03:51] Practical advice
[00:03:59] Barriers: rather a good sign
[00:04:24] “I want to believe”
[00:04:32] “Who sows the wind reaps the storm”
[00:04:44] Understanding why and when “No” arises
[00:05:11] Real objections
[00:05:16] “Life insurances”
[00:05:58] Real objections based on misunderstanding
[00:06:11] The false objection
[00:06:45] Pitfalls to avoid
[00:07:01] Good reflexes to adopt
[00:07:18] The technique for handling objections in five steps
[00:08:24] The “Field, Felt, Found” strategy
[00:08:46] Practical example
[00:09:32] Should you really look for objections?
[00:09:55] The staircase metaphor
[00:10:36] In practice
[00:12:51] Objectives in number of “No’s” to obtain
[00:13:22] The right posture
[00:13:55] Podcast conclusion and call to action

Transcriptie van de podcast:

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:13] Hello and welcome to another episode of the podcast "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" , produced by PHCom in the "transforma bxl" studio using the techniques of "The Podcast Factory Org".

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:23] The "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" Podcast is aimed at marketing and sales managers, as well as company executives with commercial responsibilities.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:32] Every month, we share with you our best practices in finding new customers for business-to-business companies.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:38] You can find each episode on the PHCom point be P.H.C.O.M website, and also on all good podcast platforms.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:48] You can support this podcast and promote its visibility by sharing it with as many people as possible via a like, comment or share.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:55] The answering machine is always open so that you can leave us a message, which we'll be delighted to answer.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:00] You can also book an appointment directly with Nadia or Stéphane on phcom dot be.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:01:06] See you soon!

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:07] Hello everyone. Today, we're talking about a word that salespeople know well, a simple word, but one that stings: "no".

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:15] Yes, the famous "no", the one that makes you sweat, or pierces your heart like an arrow. The one that makes you say "Fuck it..." or any other swear word inwardly or, very loudly after a botched date.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:28] In fact, to hear him speak, some people turn into bulldozers and counter-argue with "Yes, but you're wrong...". Direct attack style. In short, we're talking about objection management.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:40] Exactly. And you'll see, an objection isn't a wall to be bulldozed, it's rather a half-open door, a field of possibility: a sign of interest, in any case, a springboard for progress. If the prospect objects, it's because he's interested, even a little, in what we're saying, or at least in what's in his head.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:02] When you're just starting out in prospecting, receiving a "no" is pretty violent, and you tend to take it personally. He rejects me, my value, my product, my company.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:02:12] In fact, let's consider that the "No" is not aimed at the person, it's aimed at the proposal. What happens is that the customer says "No" to what you're proposing now, in this way, but not "No" to you. In any case, if it's aimed at the person, you hand it over.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:27] Generally speaking, when faced with objections, we find the primitive in ourselves. Faced with the danger of "fight flight or freeze", some people bury their heads in the sand, pretending not to have heard the objection, change the subject, or worse, run away saying "Well, sorry to have bothered you". And now it's an abandonment of post.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:02:46] Yes, or else he's attacking in exactly the same way as you said, "But sir, you haven't understood". And then we go from salesman to polemicist, a bad idea.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:54] It may be useful to distinguish between objections received at the start of an interview, during an interview or at the end of an interview. At the start of an interview, at least in a telephone prospecting approach, there's a situation that everyone is familiar with.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:07] It's the "I get it" syndrome. The prospect thinks he's understood in ten seconds what took him years to conceive. How long did it take you to learn your pitch? How long did it take you to build this pitch? And then, in the blink of an eye, he understood everything and said "No thanks".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:24] You know what I think? "No thanks, I've got it," probably comes from throwing out a pitch that's too self-centered, too fast-paced and not focused enough on the other person. But it can also happen that we don't use the right words and aren't clear.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:38] Oui. Remember that the aim at the beginning of the interview is not to sell, but to create a space for discussion. And if you take an interest in the other person, with the right approach, and he perceives that, he'll give you that tone.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:51] A practical tip: record yourself, listen to yourself, and ask yourself, "If I were in his shoes, would I have wanted to listen to this?"

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:59] Then there are the brakes that can be applied in the middle of an interview. At that point, when the customer objects, I'd say that's a pretty good sign. He seeks to understand, to test your coherence, to see if he can trust you.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:04:12] Exactly. And this is where we can talk about the objection, which is a proof of interest. He wants to know more: the opposite of love is not hatred, but indifference. If he doesn't say anything, worry.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:04:24] So when someone says "I think it's expensive, I'm not sure of the result". In effect, he's saying, "I want to believe it, but please help me feel reassured.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:04:32] This brings us to the heart of the objections. During negotiations that lead to defeat, when we've proposed what we think is the best solution for the other party. Now I'm going to tell you something that's going to hurt you: "He who sows the wind reaps the whirlwind".

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:04:44] In fact, we deserve the objections we receive. At the end of the interview, when you propose something, when you try to conclude, when you receive a "No", you have to understand what that "No" is! Why did it get there? And how can I avoid it next time? But don't let that stop us from sharing a tried-and-tested technique with you, and we'll start with the three types of objections that exist: the real ones, the ones that are real but based on a misunderstanding, and the false ones.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:05:11] The real ones are quite clear. He doesn't have any money, and you're trying to get him to spend it.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:05:16] In fact, it would have been better if you'd defused the situation directly, right from the start of the interview. If he doesn't have any money, he should be able to tell you straight away, and you shouldn't offer him anything - the discussion is pointless, you're wasting your time. If, at the start of the interview, you were sufficiently attractive, turned towards the other person, ready to respond to their needs, and they felt it, without knowing exactly what you were going to offer them, they were curious and wanted to know. Now, if you ask him if he has a budget, you'll get the real answer, not a fake beard. If that's true, then we're screwed. That's life insurance, anticipating misfortune.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:05:58] As for real objections based on a misunderstanding, I imagine it's more along the lines of "It takes twelve months to do that, so I'm not interested at all". "But no, it only takes 1 to 2 months", "Really? Okay", easy to defuse.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:11] Exact. And finally, the false beard, the false objection, is the one that masks something else. In fact, they're easy to spot: if you destroy one properly, there's another one right after it, and so on... Until we get to the real objection. Classically, these false objections are linked to a lack of confidence, unexpressed doubts, fear of change or a lack of information.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:35] And that's what this objection is all about. To our competence, our clarity, our credibility or just a need to be heard?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:45] Before giving you the technique, a quick reminder of the pitfalls to avoid.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:49] Panic. Aïe! He objects.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:52] Conflict. "But no, you're wrong".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:54] The controversy? "Yes but, yes but".

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:58] Resignation. "You're right, excuse me".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:01] And the right reflexes to adopt!

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:07:03] Respond with assertiveness, neither passive nor aggressive.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:06] Use "Yes and" rather than "Yes, but".

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:07:10] And ask open-ended questions. "To what extent do you...", "How do you perceive this...".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:16] How do you get organized?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:07:18] That's exactly where we're going. Let's get down to business and tell you how to deal with all objections. Just five steps.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:25] Please, Mr. Performance, the floor is yours!

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:07:28] No, no, no, no! Let's play, let's test with an example. I'm your potential customer, and after you've presented your offer, I say "Ok, thanks but I don't think it's the right time". How do you react?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:40] Mmmmmmmhhhhhhhh. One, I welcome positively, thinking "Yes and" instead of "Yes but". Two, I question and rephrase: to really get to the heart of the matter and save time for reflection.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:07:53] Right, those are the first two steps. And then come the next three: destroy the objection, if it's real, by maximizing all your assets and minimizing all your disadvantages. Fourth step: ask for agreement, "Does this really answer your question?". Fifth step: suggest what's next, "So we'll see you Tuesday or Thursday?"

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:15] So even if you have a ready-made answer, let him talk. Often, the prospect needs to clear his head of all these objections before he can really listen to you.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:24] A little technique to integrate when it comes to destroying the objection. Do you know the "field, felt, found" strategy?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:32] Oh yes! In French, it means "to feel, experience and see". One, recognize the emotion. Two, to show that others have had the same concern as you. Three, present the solution found by these people.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:46] Case in point. So, the prospect says "It's too expensive for me right now"?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:51] First, feel, accept, as we were saying earlier. "I fully understand your concern about the price. It's a legitimate question to ask". Then, from personal experience, "You should know that many of our customers felt the same hesitation at first, and they were just as concerned about the budget as you were. And finally, share a credible experience "And in the end, they discovered that thanks to our solution or product, they were able to make long-term savings and increase their productivity, which more than justified the initial investment". In short, tell them "I understand you, others have felt the same way, and they've found that..."

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:29] A marvel of empathy and storytelling.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:32] One question: do we really need to go looking for objections?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:36] Sometimes we have to provoke them, rather than suffer them. Say, for example, "Some of our customers have told us they fear that...". Then you defuse the situation before it explodes. It's always life insurance.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:50] But don't hold out your hand to be beaten, do it with control and confidence.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:55] I'd like to share with you an image I often use: the staircase. Each step is a small point gained. And at the top of the stairs, there's a corridor, and all along the corridor, there are lots of exit doors, the objections. On the other hand, at the end, there's a beautiful door, here's your sale, and this door is super-beautiful. It sparkles, it's golden. And in fact, what you have to do is get your customer to the top of the stairs, at the entrance to this corridor, to look only at that door. So, of course, the other doors are always there, he can look at them, it's sometimes worth opening them, or at least half-opening them. But above all, he has to be able to say to himself, "Rah, that door at the back, how beautiful it is! That's where I'm going."

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:36] Let's get down to business. A few classic objections to put it all into practice, and how to answer them. Example: "Please send me some documentation".

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:46] "Of course, but documentation won't answer all your questions. What would you like to find there?"

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:51] In that case, you accept and follow up with a question. Remember steps one and two, which we've just seen.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:58] And then we move on to stages three, four and five. So if we listen, we'll certainly find, in what he tells you, a good reason not to send him the documentation, but rather to propose a meeting. We'll see if he agrees, and then we'll suggest the appointment.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:11:14] Come on, one more: "I'm already working with a supplier, I don't need you".

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:11:18] Perfect! Why did you choose it? What could be improved? And once again, we listen, destroy, validate and propose. If he says, "Okay, when I chose this solution, it was perfect, this supplier was great on the market, but... It's true that over time, new solutions have appeared". "Yes, yes, and what are you thinking?". "There could be better site supervision! "Well, listen, if our company was created, it's because many of our customers are experiencing the same problem: having better site follow-up. So, from there, they discovered these other solutions, ours. They thought Ah yes, not bad at all. They set it up. Have you seen our solution before? See you next week". Now that's "thread, felt, found". Good luck to you, "It's too expensive".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:12:05] I understand. What's important is really the value that's perceived "What exactly do you actually want from this service?"

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:12:10] "That you bring me a 10% higher ROI than the current situation".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:12:14] "Okay, fine. But in this case, the ideal is the ABC formula, since all our customers who have been on this formula have all exceeded this 10% ROI. Well then, would you be interested in discovering this solution? How about a little video?"

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:12:28] Perfect, one, two, three, four, five. Well, one last one for the road: "I haven't got time".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:12:32] "I understand, time is really precious, but what is it? No time to work on this type of project or no time to talk about it today?"

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:12:39] Beautiful! If you've already acquired this reflex of greeting objections with an "Ok", and with a question to probe further, you've already gained a lot in terms of knowing how to move forward with your prospect.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:12:51] All in all, receiving a "No" is also proof that you've put something forward. I even read an article about how some sales managers set targets for the number of "No's" they have to get in a week. Because the more "No's" you get, the more opportunities you create.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:13:06] Nice idea. In fact, if you don't get any "No's", it's because you don't propose often enough. And if you get any "No's", that's a good sign that you're making progress.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:13:15] In the end, an objection is an incomplete conversation. This is not the end of a dialogue, but an invitation to continue it.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:13:22] And the right posture is calm, curiosity, empathy and structure. So: one, you accept, everything goes well. Two, you're trying to understand. Three, you propose an alternative or answer the objection. Four, you validate if this answer is well accepted. And finally, don't forget, five, you re-propose, that's the structure. Because in the end, objection is just a step along the way. To the golden door at the end of the corridor!

Camille de Meeûs: [00:13:55] At the top of the stairs. Thank you Mr. Performance for this exchange. And above all, thank you for listening to this episode. And if you like PHCom, don't forget to share, rate and send us your own objections.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:14:08] And remember, "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" is sales, only better.

Posted in Efficient Sales - Télémarketing - Development Center - Call Center - Bruxelles

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#006 / 2 – The Voices of Our Clients – Philippe Streydio (IPM Group)

From Stéphane Depaepe, the 12.10.2025

How IPM boosts its B2B prospecting despite digital pressure

Leave a voice message for Philippe Streydio or Camille de Meeûs!

At our microphone with Camille de Meeûs: Philippe Streydio, sales force manager responsible for the regional advertising department of the IPM Group in Wallonia and Brussels.

This group notably markets leading titles such as La Libre Belgique, L’Avenir, DH Les Sports +, Moustique, Paris Match Belgium, Télépocket, JDE, LN24, FUN Radio, LN Radio and Courrier International, providing a unique array of media channels with strong regional and national impact.

Philippe shares a concrete success story in a rapidly evolving advertising market. Facing accelerated digitisation, intense competition from the major web giants (GAFAM), and an uncertain economic climate, the media company has managed to maintain and strengthen its commercial efficiency thanks to a strategic partnership with PHCom.

This collaboration is based on a shared DNA of proximity, with a strong focus on fieldwork and human connection. PHCom brought its expertise to support commercial prospecting during the absence of a key individual, co-developing impactful pitches and deploying targeted prospecting in the territories. This win-win partnership enabled them to attract new local advertisers and secure advertising budgets despite competitive pressure.

The integration of assisted intelligence tools also allowed campaigns to be optimised, improving returns for clients. This testimony illustrates how well-orchestrated B2B content marketing, combined with smart prospecting and close customer relationships, fosters sustainable commercial performance and strong loyalty.

A podcast available on all platforms and on the PHCom website.

Website

Click here

Podcast Timeline:

[00:01:07] Who is Philippe Streydio?
[00:01:43] What is an advertising management company?
[00:02:21] A highly competitive sector?
[00:03:44] How did the digital transition go for the advertising management team?
[00:04:43] What are the GAFAM?
[00:04:53] AI or “assisted intelligence”
[00:05:57] What are today’s commercial barriers?
[00:06:37] How do you find clients internally?
[00:07:36] Tools for client and prospect tracking
[00:08:44] Big names, big accounts: how to sustain in the long term?
[00:09:59] Evolution of business techniques in the sector
[00:11:02] What skills are essential for a salesperson?
[00:12:39] Human factor at the heart of IPM Group’s DNA
[00:13:05] Business objective or ambition for the future
[00:13:44] Appearing in the press today: affordable for everyone?
[00:14:37] Why choose PHCom as a partner?
[00:15:27] PHCom, promises kept?
[00:16:14] PHCom as a future partner?
[00:16:52] Ending of the episode

Podcast transcript:

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:13] Hello and welcome to another episode of the "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" podcast, produced by PHCom in the "transforma bxl" studio with technical support from "The Podcast Factory Org".

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:23] The "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" podcast is aimed at marketing and sales managers as well as company executives with commercial responsibilities.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:32] Every month, we share with you our best practices in finding new customers for business-to-business companies.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:38] You can find each episode on the PHCom point be website, P.H.C.OM and also on all good podcast platforms.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:48] You can support this podcast and promote its visibility by sharing it with as many people as possible via a like, comment or share.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:55] The answering machine is always on so you can leave us a message. We'll be delighted to respond.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:00] You can also book an appointment directly with Nadia or Stéphane on phcom dot be.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:01:06] See you soon.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:07] Hello Philippe,

Philippe Streydio: [00:01:08] Hello Camille.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:09] We're delighted to have you on our podcast today, the PHCom podcast (Philippe Streydio: Well, thanks for having me). Let's start very simply: tell us who you are, what you do, and what you do for the future. But not only that...

Philippe Streydio: [00:01:21] But not only that. So yes, thank you for welcoming me to your studios. I'm in charge of the IPM group's regional advertising department, and we market all the IPM group's products, titles, dailies and magazines, i.e. the newspaper l'Avenir, La Libre Belgique, La Dernière heure, Magazine Moustique, the magazine Paris-Match, as well as Fun Radio, LN Radio and LN24, which are all part of the group.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:43] So when we talk about "régie", we're talking about marketing? Can you explain it a little better for our listeners? Because not everyone knows what a Régie des médias is.

Philippe Streydio: [00:01:50] La Régie des médias régionaux markets advertising to regional advertisers throughout Wallonia and Brussels, within its press titles. So we meet the advertising needs of our customers and prospects through all our media, whether print or digital. Because there's always a print title, but there's also a digital title, a digital platform that enables even greater interactivity with audiences and readers, and amplifies the message that advertisers and prospects want to get across.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:21] Can we talk about competition? Are there many competitors?

Philippe Streydio: [00:02:24] Our main competitors today are, of course, the players who publish press titles, like those we publish, but there's also a major competition we're up against, and that's the competition from the GAFAMs. So today, our world of daily newspapers and magazines has evolved considerably. In a context of constant and permanent change, we are increasingly digitalizing our content to meet the demands and needs of our advertisers and prospects, and to face up to the competition from social networks. Our DNA is really, certainly at the level of the newspaper l'Avenir, because l'Avenir has eight regional editions spread across the whole of Wallonia. We broadcast local news. Of course, l'Avenir also has a national edition, covering economic, cultural, political and tourism news. But our local editions really get to the heart of the matter. So we have a DNA of very, very close proximity. And in a way, what I like to say when I'm in contact with customers is that we are, in a way, a life-size social network, but on a human scale. In other words, we're in touch with the people, we're in touch with the players on the ground, with the people who are developing business, setting up companies, creating jobs. And I think that our range of action, our way of communicating, is even wider, and more sincere dare I say, than that which can sometimes be used through social networks.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:44] How has this digitalization been received? It's not easy in a press group.

Philippe Streydio: [00:03:48] We've been busy digitizing our content for several years now. And of course, for some of my colleagues who have been with the company for many years, it was a major revolution and required a great deal of support to train them and help them market their products, ensuring that they had all the elements and arguments they needed to evangelize the market on the merits of our media for communicating and advertising our advertisers. But on the whole, it went very, very well because we have this natural open-mindedness, we create a newspaper every day. Every day, a new product arrives either in bookshops or in our subscribers' mailboxes. Every day, hundreds of articles and videos are published on our news websites, so we're finally rebuilding ourselves every day. And so, for the people in our teams, for the members of our teams, it hasn't been a great difficulty to be able to adapt, quite the contrary.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:04:43] We've been talking about GAFAM, can you explain what that actually means?

Philippe Streydio: [00:04:46] So GAFAM are the big international groups: Google, Amazon, Facebook, these are the main players.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:04:53] When we talk about digitalization, we're talking about artificial intelligence. I personally feel that it's an integral part of our lives, whatever our generation, whoever we are. How are things going at the management level?

Philippe Streydio: [00:05:06] Indeed, these are tools that we use on a daily basis, and we even tend to speak of assisted intelligence rather than artificial intelligence. This is to make the use of these tools very positive. And so, yes, at the level of the advertising network, at the level of the Group's advertising networks, artificial intelligence or assisted intelligence is essential for improving the performance of our campaigns. In other words, we're able to better analyze campaign results, which means a much better return on investment for advertisers. For example, we're able to identify which visual is the most effective in terms of clicks and reader interaction, and then push these visuals to gain greater prominence on our platforms to meet the needs of our advertisers. In other words, they can be sure that a euro invested will be put to good use, and will be seen by a wide audience.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:05:57] What are the current obstacles to sales?

Philippe Streydio: [00:05:59] So, I don't know if we can really talk about a brake, but the economic situation as we know it today, the geopolitical situation, is creating a lot of uncertainty for our customers, for retailers, for entrepreneurs. And so, inevitably, the first budgets to be cut - as we're wont to say, and as your listeners will certainly confirm - the first budgets to be cut are communications budgets. So, in my opinion, it's not a good plan, it's not a good idea because, in times of crisis, in times of difficulty, it's better to continue to communicate and make yourself known to stand out from the crowd rather than turn off the tap. But fortunately, not everyone reacts like that, and we still manage to capture the attention of our customers, and continue to run great advertising campaigns with them.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:37] How do you currently find in-house customers?

Philippe Streydio: [00:06:40] We have a network of media consultants based geographically in Wallonia and Brussels. There are nine of them. Each has its own specific territory, and it's often said that these media advisors are the barons of their region. They need to know everything that's going on in their region, economically, culturally, socially, touristically and politically, so that they can bounce back and come up with the best possible offer for our customers, one that matches their needs and priorities as closely as possible. That's what our media advisors do every day. By comparison, the Walloon and Brussels territories are quite large. We have a medium-sized team and have called on PHCom's services to help us prospect new markets. And I have to say that we were very pleased with the way things worked out: we selected a few territories, and PHCom's work enabled us to capture the attention of advertisers we didn't yet have in our portfolio, for example.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:36] Before PHCom comes to your aid, your media advisors and what they have quite specific tools or practices for managing your pipeline, your follow-ups, your appointments. How are things going internally?

Philippe Streydio: [00:07:47] We have an internal CRM that gives us a good overview of our customers' history. This allows us to know what they have ordered in previous years for this or that campaign. We have a CRM in which they also track their prospecting and customer contacts. And this allows us to have a good communication strategy through our B2B marketing department. To be able to send highly targeted newsletters to certain market players, because we're developing a whole series of themed dossiers, which are editorial dossiers, but which contain advertising from our customers. These thematic folders also enable us to segment our prospects to whom we can send newsletters, to whom we can communicate, etc. And it's a big part of our income every year. And these files include, for example, a Batibouw file, a car-motorcycle Mobility file, a seniors file, education files, tourism files, housing files, a whole series of files like these that bring together a wide range of entrepreneurs and shopkeepers, and through which we manage to showcase them.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:44] These are big names, big files. How do you keep track of files like these over the long term?

Philippe Streydio: [00:08:51] But fortunately we have a market which, even if the geopolitical and economic situation is difficult, is quite large. The whole of Wallonia is home to a large number of businesses and retailers. And so, yeah, I think we've managed to retain a large proportion of these customers because we have this DNA of proximity, which is recognized. We also disseminate information, which is recognized for its quality! We were talking earlier about social networks, and even if we're sometimes in a schizophrenic situation, because we too, as media, use these social networks to boost our audiences and disseminate our content. But these social networks are also notorious for spreading fake news and information that is sometimes not entirely verified. Ours are verified, and that's what makes us so special in the eyes of our advertisers and customers: they come back because of this quality. They remain loyal to us because they know that every subscriber to l'Avenir - and it's important to say this too - 90% of our readers, between 90 and 95% of our l'Avenir readers, are subscribers. Who receive the newspaper in their letterbox every morning, or pick it up at the bookshop. So that (Camille de Meeûs: It's exponential, it's great) is super cool, obviously, it's super cool, yeah, yeah.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:59] How have sales techniques evolved in your sector?

Philippe Streydio: [00:10:02] They are constantly evolving. I wouldn't say it's every day, but it's still very regular and very frequent. And that's what's so rewarding about our job, is that we have to challenge ourselves on a regular basis to keep abreast of these new technologies, and to be able to respond as effectively as possible to our customers' needs. We also support our customers in the use of these new technologies because, let's face it, some of our customers are not necessarily aware of all these technologies and all the tools that can be made available to them to communicate with our audiences. And so we have this work of evangelization, we have this work, not of training but of information as well (Caille de Meeûs: Of accompaniment), as media advisors. Supporting our customers to clearly explain to them the best communication campaign and strategy they can implement, while at the same time trying to make things easier to understand, because we're often dealing with English-speaking terms, highly technical terms that are sometimes misunderstood, and so we also have a duty to adapt to this, and to adapt to each person we're dealing with in order to make things easier to understand. They need to understand the issues and strategies we're proposing to them.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:11:02] Today in 2025, well, being a good salesman isn't always that easy, with everything that's going on, can we say that? Maybe that's a bit of a generalization. What do you think are the essential skills a salesperson should have?

Philippe Streydio: [00:11:13] It's about being at your customer's service. First and foremost, to be at your customer's service, to listen to your customers, to understand their essential needs, so that you can respond more effectively to their requests. Because if a retailer or entrepreneur invests money in communication, it's obviously because they want to recoup their investment. So there's no point in going out and selling a product that won't be of any use to that merchant or entrepreneur. What we really need to do is listen to their needs. And if he wants to run a communication campaign for an open house, if he wants to run a communication campaign because he has an e-shop on which he wants to attract traffic, if he wants to run a communication campaign because he has a real estate project that he wants to develop and sell as many apartments within a given timeframe, one of the main characteristics is to listen to and serve his customer first and foremost. The second characteristic is to be stubborn, to never give up. And we also saw after Covid that human interaction may have been a little disrupted, so we also know that there are a lot of salespeople on the market, a lot of people who prospect and do so by phone, who do so by e-mail. I think that a presence in the field, at least as far as I'm concerned, is essential, it's primordial. Being the baron of your region means going out to meet people, listening to what's going on in the stores, hearing what's going on in the companies, keeping abreast of all this so that you can be the media advisor who meets your needs exactly.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:12:39] The human aspect is still very important. Getting out and about, meeting new people, that's one of your core values too!

Philippe Streydio: [00:12:46] It's part of our DNA. Indeed, we have this DNA of proximity, but more than anything else we have a DNA that is necessarily human because: we report information that is happening in the regions, in the towns, in the communes. And to be able to relay this information in the best possible way, to be able to transmit this information in the best possible way, we need to have these contacts, which are indeed human contacts, and fortunately so.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:13:05] Is there a business goal or ambition you'd like to share with us in the coming year? It's late 2025, and 2026 is fast approaching. Is there anything you'd like to see develop commercially?

Philippe Streydio: [00:13:18] We're right in the middle of building our budgets, aren't we? So we're actually at the end of the year, and it's a major challenge to be able to build our budgets. So what I want for next year is to be able to meet the company's needs, to build a budget that's as solid as possible, that also corresponds as closely as possible to the market situation, and to have a team that remains as it is today, super-motivated, super-committed and enthusiastic in the field. And to continue to meet the needs of our customers.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:13:44] Philippe Is what appears in the press today affordable for everyone, by the way?

Philippe Streydio: [00:13:47] There are two aspects, obviously the national advertiser aspect which covers all our editions, the whole territory. But for our regional advertisers, thanks to our numerous editions, our eight regional editions, at the level of the newspaper l'Avenir, we have the possibility of targeting regionally. And so we're really at the heart of a region, and for this particular target in a given region, we obviously have a corresponding rate. The same applies to digital advertising, where a whole range of segmentation tools can be used to broadcast digital advertising in specific areas. And so this answers one: The needs of a regional advertiser. Because someone who advertises, who has a business in Tournai for example, isn't interested in seeing his advertising in the Libramont area. What interests him is reaching his catchment area. These are the tools we've developed to really reach our advertisers' core markets.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:14:37] Why did you choose PHCom as your partner in the end?

Philippe Streydio: [00:14:41] So PHCom quickly became the obvious choice. We obviously carried out a market study before selecting PHCom. But PHCom quickly proved to be a winning choice, because when we talked to the various people we spoke to, we realized that their DNA ultimately matched ours perfectly. In other words, a local DNA, on a human scale, a medium-sized team like ours, with people who work here in the heart of our regions, who know our regions, who also know the companies and businesses. And it seemed essential to us to have this close relationship with PHCom's contacts. What I can also say is that in this relationship, well, it was a win-win relationship because we also created moments between the PHCom teams and the Régie des médias régionaux teams to be able to meet, to be able to exchange together and to create this fundamental link that enabled the success of our prospecting campaigns.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:15:27] Do you think working with PHCom has made you more productive? Did you save time?

Philippe Streydio: [00:15:34] We called in PHCom when one of our colleagues was absent for a slightly extended period. We needed a presence on the ground. We needed someone to keep prospecting. And who can bring ben the budgets we had planned for this territory. And so, by working together with PHCom, by implementing the processes we had set up, because they were great listeners, we were able to create a pitch together, we were able to develop our sales pitch, and they took it on board. And frankly, they were making contact with our prospects and customers, and this enabled us, perhaps not 100%, to capture the budget we had defined upstream for our absent colleague, but in any case not to lose all this work capacity. So we were very pleased with the way things went.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:16:14] Right now, we're not working together anymore, but what would make you re-sign with a company that specializes in business development?

Philippe Streydio: [00:16:22] So today we no longer work together, but it's a question of opportunity. It's not a case of "We don't work with anyone else", because we believe that PHCom really is the player, the point of reference, and when the need arises, we'll more than likely call on PHCom again. Today, we're in a situation where the need for external prospecting isn't really felt, is it? Our team is complete and operational on the market, but the quality of what we've been able to implement with PHCom will probably lead us to continue working together.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:16:52] Thank you Philippe for this exchange and all the best for the future.

Philippe Streydio: [00:16:56] Thank you very much Camille. I wish you all the best.

Posted in Client Good News - Télémarketing - Development Center - Call Center - Bruxelles

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PHCom Go-to-Market: Strategy, People, Processes, and Systems

From Stéphane Depaepe, the 25.08.2025

PHCom's Go-to-Market is based on an integrated commercial system including strategy, people, processes, and information systems aimed at maximising sales and profitability.

Strategy (Sales Strategy)

The strategy focuses on three main axes:

WHO: Whom to sell to
WHAT: What to sell
HOW: How to sell and communicate

WHO – Whom to sell to

PHCom identifies credible business sectors based on your experience and ours. Market segmentation can be done by firmographic criteria, technographic features, or using databases such as Kompass, Inoopa, Cognism, Trends, Graydon, Lusha, Buzzy, etc.

It is crucial to thoroughly know the target companies, their needs, and purchasing processes by defining appropriate B2B buyer personas, then selecting the right distribution channels.

WHAT – What to sell

This involves clearly defining the added value of your products or services, from MVP to future versions. The thinking includes USPs and translating features into customer benefits.

Adaptation to segments is essential, as is managing the specific interests of distributors.

HOW – How to sell and communicate

This part covers lead generation (mailing, cold calling, networking, trade fairs, advertising…), appointment setting, communication (brochures, website), and project execution with quality follow-up. Each medium has its own communication specifics.

People

Sales teams must combine technical, relational, and service-specific skills. Optimising talents is key to avoiding overload.

A successful Go-to-Market depends on active market listening, rapid adjustments, and feedback loops to maximise the value of every interaction.

Processes (Sales Process)

The sales process is structured around:

Commercial equation PVC/T: 10% improvement on each lever = 46% revenue increase.
Life cycle: target → generate → qualify → offer → negotiate → close.
Offer management: analysing risks, competitors, needs and presenting a personalised offer.
Closing: recognising buying signals, closing effectively and reassuring the client.

Information Systems (Information Management Systems)

A performant CRM is essential to manage customers, opportunities, and analysis. PHCom recommends structured follow-up with regular meetings and adapted KPIs.

Reporting tools optimise campaigns and improve return on investment.

Implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and regularly monitor your results to evaluate the efficiency of your strategy and make necessary adjustments.

Posted in Business Development - Télémarketing - Development Center - Call Center - Bruxelles

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Episode #012: How to Close

From Stéphane Depaepe, the 16.08.2025

How to Close

How to close: a “Performance, Harmony & Sales” capsule with Stéphane Depaepe and Camille de Meeûs

Link to our voicemail: https://www.vodio.fr/repondeur/662/

“Closing a deal” is critical for a B2B salesperson — it's how performance is measured! This stage of the sales process deserves to be mastered.

In this episode, we discuss timing, posture, and best practices to turn a conversation into real commitment.

When is the right time to close?
How can you avoid closing too early… or too late?
How do you adapt to your prospect’s profile to get a true “yes”?

With a nod to Inspector Colombo, a detour through Pearl Harbor (yes, really!), and our view of closing as the beginning of a relationship — not the end.

#B2BSales #ClosingDeals #SalesPodcast #PHCOM #PerformanceAndHarmony #CloseWithPurpose

The podcast is in French, but a full transcript is available in FR, NL, and EN on our website for better accessibility and reading comfort. Our YouTube video format includes subtitles — and therefore this timing — also in German and Spanish.

Series: Performance, Harmony & Sales – PHCom’s Knowledge Capsules
Duration: 11 min 22
Recorded at The Podcast Factory Org studio, at transforma bxl

Click here

Podcast breakdown:

[00:01:07] Three core skills in every sales cycle
[00:01:41] Learning to stay silent
[00:02:05] Empathy, patience, and the desire to understand
[00:02:14] Beware the temptation to move too fast
[00:02:25] The art of creating connection
[00:02:36] CAB & CSAQ
[00:03:07] Arguing means testing, validating, and adjusting
[00:03:16] Show enthusiasm and clarity
[00:03:26] Draw it out (literally)
[00:03:43] The closing: beware of wrapping up too early
[00:03:57] Not too early, but not too late either
[00:04:14] A four-step logic
[00:04:47] Adapt to your conversation partner
[00:05:26] Decisions are no longer made alone
[00:05:57] With a prescriber or recommender
[00:06:31] Agreeing on the price
[00:06:37] The Pearl Harbor example?
[00:08:10] A price is fair if it’s based on strong conviction
[00:08:26] Five keys to closing the deal
[00:09:18] The Colombo effect
[00:10:02] The power of anticipation
[00:10:45] Teaser for the next topic
[00:10:57] Wrap-up

Podcast transcript:

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:13] Hello and welcome to another episode of the "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" podcast, produced by PHCom in the "transforma bxl" studio, with technical support from "The Podcast Factory Org".

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:23] The "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" podcast is aimed at marketing and sales managers as well as company executives with commercial responsibilities.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:32] Every month, we share with you our best practices in finding new customers for companies in the business-to-business sector.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:38] You can find each episode on the PHCom dot be website: P.H.C. O.M, and also on all good podcast platforms.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:00:48] You can support this podcast and promote its visibility by sharing it with as many people as possible: via a like, a comment, a share.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:00:55] The answering machine is always open so that you can leave us a message, which we'll be delighted to answer.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:00] You can also book an appointment directly with Nadia or Stéphane on PHCom dot be.

Nadia Ben Jelloun: [00:01:06] See you soon.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:07] Hello everyone, today we're tackling a fundamental theme: closing. And to close the deal, you have to be convincing. And to convince, you need to know. Three skills, three key stages in any sales cycle worthy of the name.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:21] Three phases. If they're badly orchestrated, you'll miss out on golden opportunities. Timing, posture, content, everything counts, so let's unroll this red thread together, this commercial version of the customer journey.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:01:41] As we've already said, getting to know someone means much more than obtaining a contact sheet or identifying a need. It means discovering the prospect's world, his language, his constraints and his challenges. It's not a question of talking, but of learning to keep quiet.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:01:54] And yes, one mouth for two ears, which means listening twice as much as talking. Speech is silver, but silence is gold. And to listen, we have a magic tool: active listening with the right questions.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:05] And then there are the essential human qualities: empathy, patience and a desire to learn. Put yourself in the other person's shoes, understand what they're not saying.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:02:14] But beware of the temptation to go too fast. I've seen too many salespeople who ask two questions, pick out a keyword and come up with their pitch like Lucky Luke. No, no, no, it takes time, it's built.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:25] Then comes the act of convincing, and here it's not enough to simply roll out a list of features. Convincing is the art of linking what you have with what the other person is experiencing.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:02:36] Exact. At this stage, the models we've already talked about are actually the "CAB" eh? A good place to start: Features, Benefits, Advantages. A step further, the CSAQ, C.S.A.Q. Characteristically, we have a data point. Meaning, we have an advantage. Question, are you sure this is the right benefit for you?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:02:54] Let's take an example. Our company is on a human scale, so what? What does this mean? This means you're in direct contact with one of the decision-makers. And we end with "This is important to you, isn't it?"

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:07] And if the answer is yes: banco! If not, we throw another pole. So arguing means testing, validating and adjusting.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:16] Above all, it's also about enthusiasm and clarity. All the good points have been made? Great, but have they been understood, accepted and validated? And that's our real challenge.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:26] Good technique for making yourself understood: make a drawing, useful for the visual, put in the steps, adapted, personalized for the customer, and then you've got something.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:37] And that's where we show our authority, because we're the experts and we bring a solution to the company.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:03:43] And now, the climax, the conclusion. Rhoooo how many times have I heard salespeople want to close too early, like "Hello, we're installing photovoltaic panels. We can even do it without you having to pay anything. Can I come and see you?"

Camille de Meeûs: [00:03:57] Yes, and conversely, if you keep talking and arguing, well, it's too late, the momentum's gone, the train's left the station. And on the phone, when it's too late, we get the famous "Well, just send me a document, that'll be enough". And then it's clearly over, the prospect takes the lead and we're in defensive mode.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:04:14] To conclude properly, you have to respect a logic, yes. A four-point logic, and I invite you to keep it in mind. First point: recap key words, 30 seconds, summarize everything you've understood. Second point: propose a clear, motivating, "OK, what I'm proposing is..." follow-up. Three small points. Third point: ask the question, closed for example "Is it ok for you?" or open "What do you think?" but always assume. And fourth: take over the lead, explain the next steps and provide guidance.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:04:47] It sounds simple, but why don't we get 100% sales or 100% appointments when we talk to the right person?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:04:54] But because we didn't adapt to that right person, we didn't listen, we weren't creative, we weren't sure of ourselves. For example: we rarely, if ever, think of differentiating our proposal according to the profile of the person we're talking to. He's an asset, and we're going to build with him. He's an asset but closed, so we know the idea will have to come from him. You've got an open liability, you've got to take it by the hand, and that's when you can string together the "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" questions. On the other hand, it's a closed asset, and we know very well that we're going to have to reassure it.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:05:23] In short, the same sentence doesn't sound the same to everyone.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:05:26] In fact, we now also have to conclude contracts with people who are not the final decision-makers. In today's companies, as everyone knows, decisions are no longer made alone.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:05:38] Cough. And the logic has to remain the same, we have to be able to take it to the next stage, and to do that we have to reach an agreement with two people, depending on the person. I'm thinking of an example: he's a sponsor, and it's a question of giving him the weapons to convince his boss, i.e. a clear document, an unstoppable logic, a message he can take back. And that's the deal we need to strike with him.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:05:57] The same logic applies to prescribers, who are a different kind of contact, aren't they? Let's cooperate! Come on, let's go to a meeting together and train him to carry the message internally. And for that, well, as we said, he has to agree. And it's once again this type of agreement that we're looking for, this agreement with him. In the meantime, don't forget to write down the key words that will summarize the project, and to validate the impact it will have on the stakeholders, which will help him... And it'll help you too.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:31] In the end, that's what concluding is all about, coming to an agreement together. And can we also agree on the price?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:37] Obviously, let's talk money. Do you know the story of the Pearl Harbor mechanic?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:06:42] Um, no, it doesn't ring a bell. Vas-y raconte!

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:06:44] Ok, war 40-45, attack on Pearl Harbor, all the ships are sunk, there's one that's still standing but it has to be repaired because the engine won't start. As a result, the captain called in all his mechanics, but we couldn't get it started. Okay, so the U.S. Navy sends in its best experts, but it's impossible to get the scroggin' engine started. Ah, but he's heard of a little mechanic, who works on the island, who knows his stuff very, very, very well "Ok, we'll give him a call". He says, "Yeah, okay, that's fine. He looks down, picks up his big monkey wrench, you know the big monkey wrenches that are at least 50 centimetres long.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:07:21] They make a lot of noise

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:07:22] Sometimes even more. Bang! (Very loudly), excuse me. Well, they're typing in the right place, the "Poum, poum, poum, it's restarting" engine. Ah ok the commander all happy: "Well ok, you send me the bill, eh?". Then he gets the bill, $1,500, wow, $1,500 at the time is still a lot. "Ok, but I'm a little annoyed this little mechanic because this is too expensive. Break down the bill for me please, Mm?", okay. What appears on the invoice? Travel $15, labor $15, knowledge or typing $1,470. That's it, it's all there in the conclusion and in the price, it's assurance and serenity. Your price is the right price, provided you're convinced it's the right price. And the problem is not how much it costs, but how much it's worth.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:10] Okay, so it's all in the mindset. The price is right if it's based on a strong conviction.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:15] And that's what we need to get across in our proposals: we're not selling a product, we're selling a transformation, something that will solve a problem, something that will fulfill desires, the famous needs.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:26] So, to recap, to conclude you have to be ready to conclude. Can we sum up what's clearly important? There are five keys, and I'll give you the first. One: availability to listen.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:40] The second key is to pay attention to the signals: "Okay, now's the time, now's the right time".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:08:46] You also need confidence, self-confidence on the one hand. On the one hand, I'm sure of my proposal, and on the other, I trust the other. The dira " Oui."

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:08:54] Fourth key: assertiveness, without aggressiveness, to demonstrate your expertise.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:00] And finally, the fifth key is creativity: to be able to adapt or find the right formula.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:06] And there you have it: it's all a question of knowing how to stand back and not be afraid of concluding, or in a hurry.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:12] Concluding means saying "We're going to work together". It's not the end of the cycle, but the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:18] Let's finish with the ultimate closing trick: the Colombo effect... you know it?

Camille de Meeûs: [00:09:21] Yes, the TV series, when I wasn't born yet, but what's that got to do with anything?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:09:24] There was something good about that Inspector Colombo, you know, with his raincoat and his old Volvo. But the main thing is that he always had a way of asking questions, very specific questions, and in fact he would grill his alleged culprit and finally come to the conclusion "No, it can't be him". So he apologized, "Excuse me, I've bothered you, I'm going to leave, aren't I? At that point, well, the presumed culprit is completely relieved, what does he do? He lowers his guard, he lowers his defenses. And so it's the right moment for Colombo to ask the ultimate question, the one that will completely destabilize him, and finally identify that he's the real culprit.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:01] What's the link?

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:02] Listen, enjoy the Colombo effect. You agree with the person you're talking to, great, he's relieved, so you can start planning the next step. You may not have signed the contract yet, but you've already got a first agreement. Relieved? Perfect, then propose something else, something extra, that will move your relationship forward, that will encourage her to think about something that could buy extra with you.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:27] In fact, you prepare for your next appointment, I admit, it's clever, you see the expert because you know what's going to happen, you're going to anticipate.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:34] It's like chess: you prepare your moves. Remember that you can't force a sale, you have to build it "step by step", but at the end, you also have to be able to say "Ok, let's go".

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:45] Ok, well I'm going to get ahead of myself here, and I'll take you a step further: the next episode will be about negotiating the price. And this, believe me, is a real art. We'll talk about the ten techniques for presenting your prize.

Stéphane Depaepe: [00:10:57] Merci madame Harmonie.

Camille de Meeûs: [00:10:58] Thank you, Mr Performance.

Posted in Efficient Sales - Télémarketing - Development Center - Call Center - Bruxelles

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Hunting vs Farming: two commercial approaches to boost your growth

From Stéphane Depaepe, the 05.08.2025

A company’s sales strategy often relies on two distinct profiles: the Hunter and the Farmer. Understanding their differences and how they complement each other is essential for optimizing the performance of a sales team.

Hunter: the art of revealing and creating needs

The Hunter is an active sales profile, focused on winning new customers. Their role goes well beyond simply responding to existing inquiries: a Hunter seeks to reveal or even create a need in their prospect. For this type of salesperson, prospecting is both a core skill and a source of professional energy.

When a Hunter benefits from support in prospecting, their ability to generate new leads increases significantly. They secure more qualified appointments, which greatly raises their chances of turning meetings into actual sales. The partnership between the Hunter and their sales assistant (a Business Developer at PHCom) becomes decisive for the overall success of the company.

For instance, analyses of over 4,000 appointments annually scheduled by PHCOM clearly show that the Hunter generates more new contracts when relieved of administrative tasks and initial qualification. This also allows the sales management team to closely monitor opportunities and avoid losing prospects, including former clients that should be re-engaged.

Farmer: building loyalty to reap more rewards

The Farmer, by contrast, excels at managing and developing existing client relationships. Their priority is retaining clients and maximizing the value of ongoing contracts. However, when a Farmer receives new, qualified leads from external prospecting efforts, they face a new challenge: efficiently following up to turn these prospects into steady clients.

This is exactly when the added value of a sales support service (Development Center) becomes clear. By guiding the Farmer through the commercial process that needs to be implemented, we ensure that opportunities created through external prospecting are not lost or forgotten. How should you position yourself at the first meeting? What is the core objective? What is the first sale to aim for? Here, it’s less about closing a direct deal and more about reaching a first mutual agreement: for example, securing a second meeting or submitting a proposal in the right conditions.

And then, how do you organize follow-up calls and ongoing commercial tracking?

The Farmer thus plays a complementary role as a commercial strategist, ensuring the long-term loyalty of new clients won thanks to the initial efforts of the Hunter.

Complementarity and balance: the key to sustainable growth

The complementarity between Hunters and Farmers is often overlooked, even though it’s fundamental to achieving sustainable commercial growth. The optimal balance will of course depend on the market’s nature and the strategic goals defined by management. A highly competitive or fast-changing market will require a stronger Hunter presence, while a mature or low-growth market will need more Farmer profiles to secure the client portfolio’s stability.

In conclusion, no business can afford to do without either of these profiles. Precisely identifying the right balance between Hunters and Farmers, and efficiently organizing external prospecting support, is a key expertise for maximizing sales performance.

Posted in Efficient Prospecting - Télémarketing - Development Center - Call Center - Bruxelles

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