Oracle Sales Guide

Oracle PartnerNetwork
Partner Sales Guide

2004 Edition

- 1 -
INTRODUCTION

This manual has been designed to support your Oracle sales potential.
Extensive research in the form of one-to-one interviews has been carried out
with Oracle Certified Partners to identify where Oracle can support your
sales efforts.

You will find expert advice on sales techniques, from account planning to
closing recommendations. These tools should provide you with assistance to
develop your Oracle business.

*The information in this Partner Sales Guide is provided for your reference only and Oracle does not make any
warranty regarding the success or usefulness of the information contained herein.
- 2 -
INDEX

Oracle Blueprint Sales Methodology .............................................................................. 4
Building an Account Plan............................................................................................... 11
Planning a Sales Call Personal and Telesales............................................................ 13
Sales Call Checklist......................................................................................................... 16
Reaching the Decision Maker ........................................................................................ 17
Fact Finding..................................................................................................................... 19
Identifying the Oracle Need........................................................................................... 23
Following up the Sales Call ............................................................................................ 31
Follow up/Action Plan Letter Template ....................................................................... 33
The Written Proposal ..................................................................................................... 34
Closing the Sale ............................................................................................................... 36
Negotiation Tips .............................................................................................................. 38
Objection Handling tips ................................................................................................. 39
Forecasting....................................................................................................................... 40
Case Studies..................................................................................................................... 42
Working With Oracle..................................................................................................... 44
Getting Started................................................................................................................ 45
Understanding Oracles Pricing and Licensing Practices........................................... 47
Understanding the Oracle Approval Process............................................................... 53
Preparing the Oracle Order........................................................................................... 54

- 3 -
Oracle Blueprint Sales Methodology

Overview
The IT sales environment is a very competitive world. We want to give you guidance to
help you do the best job that you can. Selling solutions is the key to our success. As an
Oracle Partner you may find some of the steps used by our own sales people useful as a
checklist for your sales campaigns.

Blueprint is made up of six phases, which outline activities, objectives, tasks and
outcomes as part of the sales process.

An Overview of the Blueprint Methodology
1. Conduct Initial Assessment
Identify and initially qualify a potential sales opportunity.

2. Understanding Business Drivers: Why buy anything?
Qualify the opportunity and get the customers commitment to a joint buying process.

3. Create Value Proposition: Why buy Oracle/Partner Solution?
Develop an initial hypothesis on how Oracle/Partner can impact identified business
drivers.

4. Confirm Value Proposition: Why buy Oracle/Partner Solution?
Confirm your ability to provide value to the customer.

5. Present Value Proposition: Why buy now?
Get agreement from the key decision-maker to do business with you.

6. Reach agreement and close
Maximize the profit generated from the agreement and get a signed contract.

Hints & Tips
Make sure you go for the right deals by reminding yourself to stop at each phase and
make tough Go/No Go decisions. This will help you to put the right resources into the
right opportunities, therefore reducing the cost of sale, increasing revenues and
improving the image of your sales team.
- 4 -

Phase One Conduct Initial assessment
Objective Identify and initially qualify a potential opportunity

ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES TASKS DESIRED OUTCOMES
Identify Industry
issues
Standards and Trends

Learn general industry trends
Identify potential points of pain,
technology standards and business
best practices
Research available publications
Use available Web resources
Research case studies of Oracle
vendors and customers
Summarize findings

Knowledge of relevant
industry issues/standards
and trends

Assess Company
Buying
Information

Obtain relevant information
Financial Stability
Decision makers
Preferences
Competitive Presence
Current IT environment
Read relevant publications
Review customer financial
statements
Access web research tools
Summarize findings

Knowledge of
companys financial
stability, decision makers,
preferences and
competitor presence

Assess High level
Business Needs

Summarize and prioritize stated
business objectives
Map company position within
industry (i.e. market leader)
Review literature, web pages for
business/financial objectives
Summarize Board compensation
Summarize top 10 customers and
suppliers
Review market analysis on
expected financial/market
performance
Conduct preliminary SWOT
analysis
Understanding of high
level business needs

Estimate
Products/Services mix

Determine degree of fit
Identify preliminary scope of
solution

Map needs to specific lines of
business
Match appropriate Oracle/Partner
products and services to each
functional area
High level concept of
technical solution and fit

Make Go/No Go
Decision

Assess opportunity based on:
Financial stability, technical fit,
decision makers, preferences,
competitor presence, current IT

- 5 -

Phase Two Understand Business Drivers Why Buy Anything?
Objective Qualify opportunity and obtain customer commitment to a joint buying process

Determine Business
Drivers
Determine Why Buy Anything
Demonstrate your knowledge of
the company
Confirm priority of business
drivers with management
Estimate approximate size of
opportunity
Interview senior management to
confirm business objectives, core
competencies
Summarize business drivers by
customer functional area

Confirmation and
prioritization of business
drivers
Insight into degree and
level of support and
change

Verify and determine
Buying information

Verify: financial stability, decision
makers, preferences, competitive
presence
Determine: Project/IT budget and
timeline, decision making roles,
buying process and degree of
support for change
Review interview findings and
summarize buying information
Identify information gaps and
consider when developing follow
up letter or activity plan

Increase knowledge of
key buying information

Formulate and
Document
Buying/Selling plan

Develop integrated sales strategy
Identify and secure necessary
resources
Develop formal plan for buying
process
Document plan through a follow
up letter or activity plan

Review initial interview findings
and prioritize business drivers
Outline all product/service
opportunities
Identify sales team and assign
responsibilities
Brief Oracle and partner sales
team members on opportunity
Draft follow up letter or activity
plan
Initial activity plan

Negotiate and
confirm
Buying/Selling process
commitments

Propose joint buying process
Agree on decision making
timeline, milestones and dual
responsibilities
Cement commitment to you with
confirmed activity plan
Obtain customer executive
involvement
Obtain Customer Commitment to
conduct procurement/contracting
process in parallel
Present initial activity plan
Identify and prioritize open issues
Discuss open issues with
customer
Obtain agreement to open issues
Document agreement in activity
plan
Obtain Oracle & management
team approval

Confirmation of
customer buying
information
Understanding of
partner and Oracle role
Confirmed joint buying
process
Approved/assigned
activity plan.

Make Go/No Go
Decision

Review opportunity relative to on
going criteria: Financial stability
decision makers, preferences,
competitor presence
Assess opportunity based on new
criteria: degree of support for
change, reassessment of technical
fit, Oracle support and customer
buy in

- 6 -

Phase Three Create Value Proposition Why Buy Oracle / Partner?
Objective Develop an initial hypothesis on how Oracle/Partner can impact identified business drivers

ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES TASKS DESIRED
OUTCOMES
Hypothesize
Product/Service
opportunities

Identify key opportunities for
Oracle and partner
Refine scope of conceptual
solution

Brainstorm additional areas where you can
impact business drivers
Outline fulfillment, implementation and support
components of solution
Research products and services to assess
strengths and weaknesses relative to competition
Make follow up phone calls to obtain needed
information

Value
Proposition
hypothesis

Develop initial
Value Proposition

Link Why Buy Anything
with Why Buy
Oracle/Partner
Estimate impact on business
Identify key criteria for
references
Position Oracle/Partner
relative to competition
Obtain input on initial Value
Proposition and solution

Link needs, products and customers to specific
business drivers
Outline/conduct needed ROI, TCO analysis
Prioritize product/service opportunities
Provide specific project examples and references
Anticipate potential questions
Review initial Value prop-position with project
leader
Develop preliminary interview list and schedule
interviews
Review interview guide with project leader

Estimate of
customer benefit
Initial Value
Proposition

Conduct Initial
Survey

Obtain needed information to
refine initial value proposition
and solution
Confirm delivery resources

Conduct first round interviews with managers,
technical staff and customers
Confirm understanding of business drivers

Make Go/No Go
Decision
Review opportunity relative to on going criteria:
financial stability, technical fit, decision makers,
preferences, competitor presence, project budgets,
degree of support for change
Assess opportunity based on new criteria
Assessment of
customers
willingness to
partner and degree
of support for
change

- 7 -

Phase Four Confirm Value Proposition Why Buy Oracle / Partner?
Objective Confirm Partners ability to provide value to the customer

ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES TASKS DESIRED
OUTCOMES
Inform Customer

Educate customer about
possibilities and probabilities
Position Oracle/Partner
relative to competition
Expand the scope of the
opportunity
Refine understanding of
customers needs
Schedule and conduct technical days and other
reference events
Conduct review session with sales team after
each event
Identify new opportunities
Determine level of interest in new technologies

Refined
understanding of
customer needs
and potential
solution
Greater
Knowledge of
technical fit.
Conduct follow up
Survey Interviews

Confirm and expand value
proposition
Assess reaction to product
demos and reference events
Confirm understanding of
specific technical issues
As needed, obtain data to
refine ROI analysis
Summarize sales opportunities and
product/service issues
Identify information gaps and obtain data
Contact demo participants to assess reaction and
obtain needed information

Additional
insight into
customers
willingness
Technical
information to
complete solution
development

Review Survey
Findings with
Customer

Confirm and prioritize
specific project opportunities
Summarize interview findings by functional area
Present interview findings to project leader and
key executives
Identification of
potential solution
weaknesses
Begin Contract
Compliance Process

Learn Customers
contractual buying
requirements
Determine all needed Oracle
approvals

Present terms to appropriate customer contact
Review key contract options: Licensing,
discounting, support and financing
Start internal and Oracle business practice
processes
Needed
approvals
obtained in timely
fashion.
Make Go/No Go
Decision

Review opportunity relative to on going criteria:
financial stability, Technical fit, decision makers,
preferences, and competitor presence, project
budgets, degree of support for change, estimated
customer benefit
Assess opportunity based on new criteria -
willingness to partner, willingness to begin
contracting process

- 8 -
Objective: Confirm Partners
Phase Five Present Value Proposition Why Buy Now?
Objective Obtain key decision makers agreement to do business with you

Prepare Value
Proposition
component

Develop final version of Value
Proposition
Summarize cost implications of
doing nothing
Create sense of urgency to act
now
Refine value proposition based on
survey interview findings
Outline the cost of inaction
Select key points to emphasis during
presentation

Customized value
proposition

Prepare
Solution
component

Align solution with value
proposition and business drivers
Link products/services to
business drivers
Obtain buy in to transition plan

Conduct gap analysis to determine
degree of technical fit with identified
needs
Confirm most appropriate
product/service components to include
in solution
Agree on key points to emphasis in the
presentation
Completed solution that
supports Value Proposition

Prepare Demo
component

Align demo with value
proposition
Customize demo target audience

Agree on key product/ service
attributes to demonstrate during demo
Arranged needed equipment and
support
Develop demo
Demo that incorporates
Value Proposition and is
customized for target
audience
Make
Presentations

Tailor presentation content to
specific audience need
Ensure consistency in messages
Align presentation with value
proposition
Demonstrate Oracle/ Partners
ability to deliver through demos
and references
Confirm customer needs and
priorities
Confirm specific product and
service needs (e.g. number of
license, level of support etc
Schedule presentation date
Confirm presentation participants with
Project leader
Determine individual presentation roles
Customized presentation for target
audience
Rehearse
Present to key management technical
managers and customers
Solicit audience input
Debrief after presentation to review
key findings
Provide specific references to the
customer
Customized presentation
appropriate for audience,
reinforces value proposition
using their terminology and
addressing their needs
Agreement on Value
proposition and solution
Agreement to select Oracle
and partner
Increase support for change

Assess
Customer
reaction
Losses: Determine primary
factors

Schedule and conduct follow up
meeting with customer

Losses: Positively position
partner and Oracle for future
sales.ch

- 9 -

Phase Six Reach Agreement and Close
Objective Maximize the profit generated from the agreement and obtain signed contract

Prepare and present
Proposal Presentation

Summarize confirmed Value
Proposition
Gain initial customer agreement on
key points
Identify specific areas where further
discussion is needed
Outline transition plan

Formulate proposal and transition
plan
Discuss and agree on key points
Prepare presentation
Present proposal to transition
plan to key decision makers
Identification of key
open issues
Customer agreement to
transition approach

Negotiate and agree
on Terms and
Conditions

Clarify and resolve open issues
Agree upon final pricing, terms and
conditions

Summarize key negotiation
points and determine parameters
Develop and present alternative
proposals to decision makers and
negotiate until open issues are
resolved
Agreement on pricing
and contract terms and
conditions

Obtain Signed
contract and Close

Obtain signed contract

Document agreed solution,
pricing and other terms and
conditions
Deliver contract to customer and
sign
Signed contract.

Close order/report
sale

Verify licensing, pricing, bp
Report order to Oracle & all
required documentation
Ensure Oracle has recorded the
order and the software has been
delivered

TY OBJECTIVES TASKS DESIRED OUTCOMES

- 10 -
Building an Account Plan

Overview
Keeping an account plan should be standard for all customers, but plans are also useful
for prospects as well. The account plan should be regularly updated, and when elements
change you should consider how the new information might progress a prospect into a
customer or further a sale to an existing customer. The template in the Useful Things
section may help you with your account planning. It pulls together the different factors
considered below.

Why do I Need an Account Plan?
An account plan is essential for keeping track of the developments that take place
between you and your customer. It is also a useful tool when you are considering your
forecasting plan for the year. An account plan is an essential source of information about
the account and ensures continuity of approach. A standardized format means that
accounts can be compared and areas of weakness and strength can be highlighted.

How do I Set One Up?
Create a standard template that suits your customer or use the template provided. The
customer should provide some of the information, and research should enable you to fill
in the gaps and draw conclusions. It is important that your account plan has an objective
and a timeframe for each objective. It should be regularly reviewed. Use the Internet to
gather facts about the industry, competitive trends, and any new legislation that may be
relevant. Your customers annual report should give you the necessary details about the
hierarchical structure within the company, number of employees, etc. Further tips on
gathering information are to be found in Fact Finding, and Identifying the Oracle
Need. Implement a system whereby the account plans are regularly checked and
updated. Every time you correspond with the customer, log this into your account plan.
You should have a record of how often you make presentations or pitches, how often you
provide after-sales support, etc. This will enable you to closely monitor your progress.

Running the Account Plan
Its important that the account plans are properly maintained and updated by the sales
representatives responsible for them.
Hints & Tips
Your plan should analyze the current circumstances, highlight opportunities, and state
potential commitments and solutions.
Help your prospect to visualize the solution addressing his business needs.
- 11 -
Share account plans with your Oracle account team to ensure that everybody has a
common understanding of the opportunity.

- 12 -
Planning a Sales Call Personal and Telesales

Overview
Before you meet your potential buyer, or speak to them on the phone, you must carefully
plan your sales strategy from start to finish.

Dress the Part
People judge us initially by appearances, and in most cases an initial judgment sticks.
Dress appropriately when meeting with a customer.

Be Organized
As well as noticing how you are dressed, your potential customer will also notice your
behavior. If you need to bring along product information or perform a demo, make sure
your materials are packaged neatly. Take a notebook and pen with you to jot down ideas
or points that come up. If possible, ensure you have arranged an optimum time for your
appointment, and that the customer is in a position to be receptive, i.e. not worrying about
their next appointment.

Have a Good Attitude!
J ust as flu can be infectious in any working environment, so too can enthusiasm. When
selling you should be confident and persuasive, but never pushy no one likes to be
bullied into making a decision. Smile, walk confidently, be friendly, and above all
believe in what youre selling. Be on time, be prepared, and be ready. If you are part of a
telesales team you can easily be affected by other peoples moods. Dont bring problems
into the office.

Sometimes it helps in telesales if you make a call standing up, particularly if you think it
may be a difficult one. Standing can make you feel more in control and this will come
across in your speaking tone. Remember that how you sound on the phone is important,
because as the customer cant see you, your tone of voice is how they will judge you.

Basic Planning
Something as simple but common as an unexpected traffic accident can prevent you from
making your appointment on time. Allow time for mishaps. If there is nothing you can do
then phone your customer to alert them of the situation and offer to reschedule the
appointment. This will show that you are aware that they are busy and that time is
precious to them. Use your own time wisely dont take two hours to sell something if
you can sell it in one.

- 13 -
Knowledge is Power
In order to sell effectively you must know your products inside out. This is the place to
begin your store of knowledge. Your buyer will not be interested in the features, but
rather in what benefits these features will have for them. Once you know your own
products its time to investigate the competition thoroughly and know the areas in which
you can persuade your buyer that your product is better. Ensure you are aware of your
customers business, so that you are not trying to convince them to buy something they
have no need for. Always do as much research on your customer as possible. Check their
Website, read their literature, know their problems. The more you know about your
customer and the more you can talk about their problems, the more they will listen.
Further tips on research are available in Fact Finding and Identifying the Oracle Need.

Preparing Your Opening Statement
Begin as you mean to continue in a professional and practiced manner. You should
thank the customer for agreeing to see you, remind them of why you are there, and begin
your sales pitch. Its a good idea to have a trial run at your opening statement so that you
appear calm and confident on the day.

Going the Extra Mile
There are several ways in which you can make that extra effort to win a sale. Study
market trends and be ready to convince your buyer to take new products on board. Have
statistics and facts to back up your sales pitch. Be media aware. Keep up-to-date with
business TV, radio and press. If you are industry-aware and interested it will help set the
right level of professionalism between you and the customer. Another way in which to
stand out from the crowd is to take a genuine interest in your customers. It will go down
well if you take two minutes to show your human side and ask your customer about their
game of golf or trip abroad.

Closing the Call
Once you have discussed the agreed topics and any other business, determine and agree
the next step, e.g. that you will come back with answers to any questions and the
customer will arrange a meeting with you and their decision maker. Send a follow up
letter thanking your customer for their time and confirming the next stage. See
Following up the Sales Call.

Hints & Tips
A good tip for finding potential business is to keep on eye on the national press for
companies that are recruiting this usually indicates an expansion. The trade press will
often have reports on how companies are doing, and this too can be helpful when
planning for potential future business. - Remember that the competition will always catch
up and your products benefits may not always be unique. This means that often the
- 14 -
reason your buyer goes ahead with an order is because of you and your presentation, so
make it a good one. When you have the appointment write to the customer and confirm
the reason for the meeting. Ask if they have anything to add. Then when you arrive,
reconfirm. This way both sides know why they're having a meeting.

- 15 -
Sales Call Checklist

Before the Call
Do I know what my objective is for the call?
Does the person I am meeting know why we are meeting?
Do I know what this company does?
Do I know what their financial status is?
Do I know whom their competitors are?
Do I know the role and responsibilities of the person I am meeting?
Do I know what I dont know?
Do I know what questions I am going to ask?
What is my opening statement?

During the Call
Have I agreed with the customer the purpose of the meeting?
Does he or she know why my company is talking to them?
Do I know what his/her pains are?
Do I know what his/her priorities are?
Do I know if he is the person with the Money, Authority, Need (MAN)?
If not, has he/she told me who is?
Does he or she know what my value proposition is?
Have I asked all my questions?
Do we both know what the next step is?
Has the meeting met mine AND the customers expectations (has he/she agreed)?
Have I registered any objections and what I need to do to overcome them?.

- 16 -
Reaching the Decision Maker

Overview
When you are carefully planning your approach for
A sales call
Your presentation
How to close
One thing to bear in mind is that your plans may be in vain unless you are actually going
to be speaking to the Decision Maker, the one who says yes and has the Money,
Authority and Need (MAN).

To Whom Am I Speaking
Before you ever get to the appointment stage you may have to phone the company to ask
for the name of the relevant person to whom you should address a telephone call or send
an introductory letter. Its not uncommon for an executive assistant or receptionist to
have been warned not to put through unsolicited calls or give out phone numbers. Dont
fall at the first hurdle. Explain politely and briefly who you are and the purpose of your
call, and get a contact name at least.

The Next Best Thing
A good way to ascertain where exactly your customer is in the buying chain is to ask a
few pointed questions, without suggesting that you are not really interested in their time.
Try Will you need to discuss this with anyone before deciding? or What is the process
for signing off an order? This will let you know whos in charge. Try to get a feel for the
attitude of this person by speaking on the phone before arranging a meeting. Perhaps they
dont have the final say, but once they get approval they may well be the person you then
deal with. Sometimes the Decision Makers will do purely that, decide, and then they will
delegate responsibility. Once you know where you stand with this person you need to
consider your approach. If they will be the ones you deal with in future you should make
a full presentation. If they are merely going to make a recommendation and pass the
future meetings on to the Decision Maker it might be wiser to save your energy for that
person.

Getting past the Executive Assistant
If you do need to deal with someone else, the chances are that you will need to go
through the assistant of the person you want to speak to. There are various techniques for
making this process easier:
Ask for the prospect using his/her first and last name and sound as though the call is
expected. Sound confident, speak fluently and smile and do not offer any further
- 17 -
information. If the prospect is out ask when they are due back and say you will ring
again, do not leave your details.
By sending an introductory letter prior to the call which introduces both you and your
company it gives you something to refer to, i.e. "I am following up the letter I sent on..."
or "I am ringing to clarify a point in my letter of...".
The assistant will remember the letter or at least think they ought to and then put you
through. The letter makes this look like a long-term relationship not a first time call.

The Top Cat
Of course if youre lucky enough to reach the top person initially then you know that this
is the person you must impress. Are you fully prepared?
Use the questions in Identifying the Oracle Need to help prepare you for an initial
meeting.

Hints and Tips
Never brush anyone off. They may not be the Decision Maker, but they may well block
your way to that person if they dont like your attitude
An Influencer will want to know how your product works and how efficient it is. A
Decision Maker will want to know how much your product costs and if theyll get a
return on their investment
- 18 -
Fact Finding

Overview
There are two times to fact find during a sale before the sales pitch, and during the sales
pitch. Before you meet with the prospect your fact-finding will be broad-based research.
When you are actually in discussion with the prospect you need a very different approach
to getting the information you need.

Before the Sale
Before you go to make your pitch you need to know as much as you can about the
prospects business and about current market trends, etc.
Use the Internet to find out about your prospects business. Business directories are a
very valuable source of information, or try using a business information analyst such as
Dun and Bradstreet.
Phone your prospect and ask for the companys annual report. Use all methods available
to gather as much information as possible.
Try to find out who your prospects key competitors are and how they measure up
against them. Get to know the jargon of the industry you are selling to, read industry
journals, look at market research papers (some research agencies make information
available on their web sites).
Get to know the burning issues of the day in that industry, read the business press and
listen/watch TV and radio. Once youve planned your sales call, the next step is to make
the most of it. Knowing what your prospect needs or wants is the only way you are going
to make a sale. Below are some key points to help you find out the facts about your
prospect once you are in the meeting and ready to make the pitch.

During the Sale
When you are in the meeting with your prospect, remember the key points
Why should this person buy from you?
Why should they buy the product or services that youre offering?

You must also decide what your objective is for this call:
Do you want to come away with an order, and if so what kind of order?
Is your objective to make a good presentation and then get a second appointment where
the details of ordering will be discussed?
Do you need to give a brief overview and then get a second appointment at which you
can give a demonstration?
Once you have decided what exactly you are trying to achieve, you are ready to work
towards your goal.

- 19 -
Ask the Right Questions
Prepare the prospect by asking how much time you can spend on questions.
An intelligent comment or a well-structured query asking for help in understanding an
article you have seen will bring forth information. People are normally delighted to tell
you about their jobs and show off their knowledge. That discussion can reveal business
drivers, e.g. level of waste product too high, which then leads neatly into a why is it too
high, are you worse than industry average, what does it cost you or is it worth
fixing conversation.
Ask the prospects opinion on what you are trying to sell, this will uncover any early
objections to your products and services. Tell them that if they answer your questions you
will be able to see how your Oracle based solutions can help their business.
A good way to begin is to ask a few questions in a conversational manner. This can often
uncover some important information.
General open questions will establish the prospects area of interest.
A more specific open question will influence how your prospect answers.
Closed questions will only result in a yes or no answer.
Something which can work if done properly is the what if scenario, especially if
your customer seems reluctant to commit.

- 20 -

Example Questions

TYPE

EXAMPLE

POSSIBLE ANSWER

OUTCOME
Conversational

How are things at the moment
for the company?

Very well, were expanding
right now.

Take this as a cue that
your prospect is in a
really good position to do
business.

General Open

How is your company
structured?

Well, were split into different
departments.
Im in charge of marketing.

You know that you may
need to speak to people
in several different
departments.

Specific Open

What are your views on the
internet?

Something were looking at but
still not sure how we could
benefit from it.

Good news for you.
You have an opening.

Closed

Are you interested in discussing
how we can help you move your
applications to the web?

Yes I think we could do that.

Youve got the go
ahead to launch into your
pitch.

What if?

If you dont go with this new
system, will you find your
customers moving to alternative
suppliers?
What if money were not an
issue, which problem would you
fix first or what would you do to
make the company more
profitable?

Yes, but I probably need to
think about the solution some
more.
Id sort out the problem with the
lead times.

Have you read Closing
the Sale on how to deal
with objections?
You have now
uncovered your prospects
biggest pain, which
leaves the door open for
you to try and solve it.

PE EXAMPLE POSSIBLE ANSWER OUTCOME
More tips on questions can be found in Identifying the Oracle Need.

- 21 -
Are you listening?
Questions are of no use unless you listen to the answers. You can tell a lot by a persons
body language, so look out for signs of interest, boredom, cautiousness and other factors
that might influence a buying decision. You may not be able to see your prospect when
youre on the phone, but a persons tone of voice can tell you almost as much as their
body language.

Closing
Once you have discussed the agreed topics and gleaned as much information as possible
from the prospect, summarize the needs and desires that the prospect has expressed and
come to an agreement on them. You will then need to decide on the next action, e.g.
answer any questions the prospect has, arrange a meeting with their manager, etc. Dont
forget to follow up the meeting with a letter thanking the prospect for their time,
reconfirm the main topics of the meeting and the next stage, which has been agreed upon.

Hints and Tips
Listening instead of talking can often glean you more information. Use the 80/20 rule,
listen at least 80% of the time!
Make sure that you and the prospect agree on their needs and desires.
Remember that your prospect doesnt want to buy your product; they only want to buy
what it will do for them and their business.
Dont finish the meeting or call without knowing whether he is the MAN (person with
Money, Authority and Need), if it is not he use your questioning skills to find out who is.

- 22 -
Identifying the Oracle Need

Overview
A major part of your sales planning will be identifying prospects who have a clear need
for Oracle solutions. In both the initial stages of finding out about an industry and
company, and later when meeting customer contacts, you will need to be clear about the
types of business issues that can best be solved using Oracle solutions and your own
products and services.

Flexibility
One of the key skills of a professional sales person is flexing their style to suit their
audience. Your fact finding questions for the CEO of a long standing company will differ
from the questions for the technologist responsible for an internet start ups technology
decision. Changing both your style and the content of your questions will not only get
you the information you need to qualify the sale, but will also demonstrate to the
customer that you have done your homework and already have some understanding of the
issues they face.

Company Profile
To simplify matters, we have looked at two very different company profiles and assessed
the types of issues they might face that would prompt them into looking for an Oracle
solution. These are the traditional companies looking to move into the E-Business
world, or internet start-ups. Both have unique business drivers that would lead them to
Oracle.

Business Drivers
Some examples of business drivers for the more traditional companies are:

For the CEO
Market Share
Products and Services Innovation
Productivity
Liquidity and Cash Flow
Business Profitability

Questions on the CEOs mind
How can I beat competition by creating and maintaining customer satisfaction in order
to retain customers?
How can I increase profit by analyzing and optimizing the product mix?
How can I take advantage of the Intranet/Extranet/Internet trends?
- 23 -
Who are our top 50 customers? How valuable are they to our business?
I want a continual update on all aspects of the business I need a 360-degree view.
How can you help me to measure and monitor profitability, cost contents and budgets?
How do I get timely, accurate and responsive information to help me make business
decisions?

For the CFO
Cash Flow and Liquidity
Profitability
Relationships with Investors and Banks
Operating procedures and guidelines
Mergers and Acquisitions

Questions on the CFOs mind
How can I produce my monthly reports with value added analysis?
How can I avoid the huge costs of retyping the same data into different
analytical packages?
How can we increase productivity and still maintain a high quality of
operation?
How can I control or reduce operational costs with new technology?
How can access to the Internet strengthen my purchasing power?
How do we monitor and measure performance using web technology?
How do I know what parts of the business are not performing?
How do we improve the productivity of maintenance and management costs of our IT
systems?

For the IT Director
Satisfying Internal Customers
Aligning IT with Business Strategies
Contributing to productivity gains
Open and Flexible IT infrastructure
Knowledge Management

Questions on the IT Directors mind
How can I fully integrate my fragmented applications and databases using
web enabled technology?
How can I achieve a mission critical system 24 x 7?
What if I am asked to cope with an unprecedented increase in volume?
If we merge with XYZ company, how easy will it be to merge our databases?
How can I avoid users entering the same information over and over again?
How can I fully integrate disparate systems?
How can I afford to maintain all the skills I need to integrate these systems?
How do I please my internal customers?
How do I understand how to make the best and most innovative use of technology?
Will my IT infrastructure inhibit business innovations?
How can I deliver an integrated architecture and still meet short-term requirements?
- 24 -
How do I successfully integrate data from many different sources?

The business drivers for New Companies will include:
Time to market
Reliability and scalability of solutions
Investor relationships
Finance and profitability

Questions on their mind
Which technology solution will provide the speediest time to market?
How can I exploit advanced technology with the limited resources in my team?
What happens if we exceed our projected customer numbers?
How can I use technology to build a competitive edge?
Which solution will keep potential investors happy?
How do I balance the need for a robust solution with limited finance options?
Do we have the skills in the team to make this idea a reality?

Preparing Your Questions
In addition to considering the business drivers above, you may find the following
questions helpful in preparing your fact-finding meetings.

Questions to the CEO
What are your plans for:
Intranets Making information available to all your employees
Extranets Empowering your suppliers to better serve you
Internet Allowing your customers to view information, transact or purchase
Do you know who your competitors are? If yes, are they changing, coming from
different industries, countries, etc?
What are your competitors doing with the web?
What is your market share? (is it increasing or decreasing)?
What is your market doing, opportunity growing or diminishing?
Do you know which of your products is the most profitable?
Do you know who your best and most loyal customers are?
Do you know how much to invest and where on assets and headcount?
What are your growth plans?
What major initiatives are underway to meet those growth objectives?
Are there any plans for mergers or acquisitions?
What are your channels to market? Are they delivering?
Are you looking to move into other countries?
Is your organization efficient enough to be able to deal with your growth plans?
How efficient is your supply chain?
Do your competitors have similar objectives to you?
Are you satisfied with the current level of responsiveness of your organization? How
could it be improved?
- 25 -
What areas of your business are most at risk? Are they consistent with the industry?
How are you managing them?
Is change a key issue for you and your organization?
If your IT systems are down/unavailable what is the cost to your business?
If your web site is unavailable what is the impact on your business?
OF ALL THE AREAS WEVE DISCUSSED TODAY, WHICH IS MOST
IMPORTANT TO YOU (KEEPS YOU AWAKE AT NIGHTS)

Questions to the CIO/IT Director
Do you have an E-Business strategy? If no single strategy, does this cause a problem
with getting access to the right info at the right time?
What is your tools and business intelligence strategy? How effective are they?
What are your current projects, which is most critical and Why?

Internet
What are your views on the Internet? Do you feel this is an opportunity or a threat?
What are your plans for: Intranet, Extranets, Internets, and E-Business?
Are your users demanding web applications?
Do you have a number of legacy applications, if so how do you plan to move them
forward (new functionality, move to the web, etc.)?
What is your maintenance backlog, if any?
How are you planning to integrate existing systems with your web strategy?

Skills
What is the skill profile of your department?
How easy is it to get new staff/retrain existing staff?
Do you need to have a large number of skill sets to manage diverse applications and
development tools?
What productivity tools do you use, how effective are they?
Do you use a CASE tool, is it used to its full capability?
Do your developers work from home?

Management
How do you manage your PC community, support, upgrades, management, etc? Do you
have a backlog?
Do you offer a service level to your users/suppliers/customers?
Do you ever fail to meet it?
Are you looking to reduce infrastructure costs and increase the life of your PC's?

Platform
What hardware/OS platforms do you have? What is your strategy over the next 3 years?
Do your users work from home/stand alone mode?
Are you planning to web enable any of your legacy systems? If not, why is that?

Users
- 26 -
What type of users do you have Office Based, Field Staff, Home Workers,
Warehouse/Factory, Mobile?
Do you have users that require access to corporate information systems while not
connected to your local area network?
Do you have users that are on the road most business days? Do they need access to
your corporate information systems?

Questions to the Line of Business Directors
How easy is it to get a complete view of your companys
sales/products/finances/personnel information?
How does your department/division/country share information?
Do your employees have access to the right information in order to do their job/make
decisions?
Do your information systems meet your needs? How/Why not?

Marketing
What are your views on eCommerce?
How easy is it to get new products to market?
How effective are your marketing programs?
Do you know which customers are more profitable than others?

Sales
Are your margins under threat?
How loyal are your customers?
How self-sufficient are your customers?
Are you happy with your sales force productivity and effectiveness?
How effective are your indirect channels?

Purchasing
Do you have high stock costs?
How quickly can you replenish stock?
How do you interact with your suppliers and distributors?

Manufacturing
Are you happy with your build cycle times, work in progress and inventory levels? How
do these compare with your competitors?
Do you work closely with suppliers to ensure quality and speed in time to market?

Human Resources
How do you know where your human capital is deployed and ensure that it is leveraged
in the right place in the organization to support business objectives?
How do you plan, hire and retain the best and brightest?
Are you happy with the level of administrative costs in HR?
Could your admin people be better deployed on more qualitative tasks?

Finance
- 27 -
How do you measure performance across the company/extended enterprise (suppliers
and distributors)?
How do you measure efficiency across the organization?
How good is the quality and speed of decision-making?
Are you able to take advantage of any local cost benefits?

Questions to a Project Manager
What are your current projects, which is most critical and why?

Productivity
Do your custom-built applications meet 100% of your customers requirements on
delivery?
Do your design and development tools allow team development?
Do you develop for a variety of platforms?
Do your tools allow you to maintain the application over the entire life of the system?
Can you leverage information/code from one project to another?
Are you happy with the quality of code?
Do you have a problem with programmer productivity?
How do new applications integrate with existing ones?

Web Development
Are you planning to build applications for the web?
What are your plans for J ava, if any?
Do you want the flexibility of a 3GL?
What standards are you planning to use when moving to the web?
Are you looking for open standards? CORBA/IIOP?
Do you have Customer Server Applications that are difficult to maintain?
Are you interested in moving them to Web Technology?
Do you have legacy mainframe applications you want to Web-enable/move to the web
for greater access?
Do you develop distributed applications? Branch offices? Remote Servers?
How do you support remote, disconnected users with your applications?

Questions for the nascent companies:

The Company
What is your basic idea/business concept?
Are you a new Company or a spin-off from an already existing company?
Who are your targeted customers?
Who are you going to transact with on the Web (suppliers, partners etc.)?
What is your business model (business to business or business to consumer)?
How long have you been trading as a company?
Has your idea already been developed by another company on the web?
Who are your competitors? How do you differentiate yourself?
What are your revenue streams (advertising, eCommerce, affiliation)?
- 28 -
How will you measure your success (number of hits, number of registrations, number of
transactions, amount of revenue)? Who are your main business partners?
Do you have a completed business plan?
If yes, can we see the executive summary?
Has it been validated (due diligence)?
If no, when will it be ready?
Do you need help to finalize or validate it?
Are you working with an Incubator? If so, which one?
Have you secured funding? Which stage are you in? (Seed capital (personal, family,
angel, incubator),Venture Capital 1st round, Venture Capital 2
nd
round, IPO)
If yes, who are your partners? When will funds be available? How much have you
raised?
If no, how do you plan to fund your activity?
How much of that funding do you plan to allocate to your technology solution?

The Team
Who are the companys founders? What is their background?
Who is your CEO, CFO, CTO, Sales and Marketing Directors?
What is your role in the company?
Who is the decision maker on technology? What is the decision making process?
Are you using external advisors/consultants? If yes, which ones?
How do you plan to recruit additional team members?

Web Site/Technology preferences
What are your sites main functionality requirements? Do you need chat rooms, market
place functionality, auction, on line catalogue, payment, news feeds etc?
Is your site live on the web?
If no
When do you plan to launch?
Whos developing your site in house, custom made or packaged solution?
Who are your IT Implementation partners?
What are your platform preferences?
If yes
What technology have you chosen?
Who are your IT implementation partners?
Have you developed your site in house, or is it a custom-made or packaged solution?
What are your projections for site loading, number of hits per day, number of
concurrent users, number of product references etc.?
What are they key technology requirements/factors affecting your site efficiency:
scalability, security, high availability? What are your main technology decision-making
criteria?
Have you already engaged with an IT partner?
To run your business on the Web have you considered adding one of the following
functionality to your site?
Catalogue providers
Business Intelligence solutions, site traffic and audience analysis,
- 29 -
One to One, personalization and recommendation engine,
Payment, Point of Sales,
Procurement,
Mobile functionality,
Have you considered integrating your whole value chain, implementing a back office
and supply chain solution?
Are there any existing applications that need to be integrated with your IT architecture?

- 30 -
Following up the Sales Call

Overview
A follow up letter is a simple document, which confirms points raised, discussed and
agreed during the meeting. If you qualified the opportunity and the prospect is happy to
move forward you should also detail the next steps in the letter in the form of an action
plan, e.g. key activities, events and milestones to be followed during the sales cycle.
Typically a plan letter will include appointments with different executives or heads of the
various business units or functional areas. Below are some guidelines on using this type
of approach. The plan letter should be brief, 24 pages, with the first page serving as an
introduction and the following pages a schedule of the agreed upon activities, dates,
timescales and participants.

Why Use a Plan Letter
Plan letters are useful early in the sales cycle in order to gain control and influence within
the opportunity. Sending a letter can benefit in the following ways:
Forms the start of a formal relationship, e.g. preparation for further dialogue
Increased influence in the account. In many cases the use of the plan letter has helped
sales teams to build rapport early and to completely shut out other vendors
Ensured access to decision makers and key executives
Shorter sales cycles. Agreed action plans help to smooth the sales cycle and minimize
delays
Following a mutually agreed upon plan will help the prospect visualize the close
Improved co-ordination between your suppliers, e.g. Oracle
The letter helps to serve as a contract for internal resource planning.

Positioning with the Prospect
For prospects, the letter serves a different purpose.
Inexperienced customers are very receptive to a plan letter because it provides
guidance. It helps to assure the inexperienced buyer that they are taking all of the
appropriate steps before making a decision.
Experienced buyers in this situation the letter helps the sales team step out of the
normal sales process to help differentiate your services and Oracle products from the
other competing vendors. Use of an agreed plan in these accounts helps to compress the
sales cycle. By reconfirming points agreed it also serves as a qualification tool.

When to Use a Plan Letter:
While the most common time to use the letter is in the early stages of the sales cycle, it
can be used several times in the sales cycle.
- 31 -
Early on Utilizing a plan letter will help build rapport early in the account as well as
to differentiate you and Oracle from the competition.
Mid cycle Use of the letter will help co-ordinate complex resource requirements. Here
it may not be necessary to share the plan letter with the customer but rather it will serve
as an internal contract between your internal resources and Oracle.
End Use toward the end of the sales cycle will outline key steps that will help the
customer visualize the close.
To Sell Up By copying the letter to an executive CC: executive name, you
can gain access to a more senior person within the organization.

Tactical Tips for Plan Letter
When the customer views the letter they should see a clear process that has been mutually
agreed upon. The document should be brief, including only details that are important to
the customer:
Separate "Prospect", "Partner" and "Oracle" responsibilities
Prospects should be able to quickly reference his/her company's responsibilities
Do not clutter the letter with internal steps which the customer does not need to know to
understand the process or meet his/her responsibilities
The opening paragraph should explain how you plan to craft a solution or the progress
points discussed
Reassure the customer that by following the outlined activities, your team in association
with Oracle will be able to best understand business issues and develop the best solution
Separate major dates and responsibilities and place at the end of the letter
List the date, event and participants in column form. This should be an easy to read
schedule
Remember each plan letter is different, tailor it to each prospect, dont use the one you
did last!

Hints and Tips
Remember that the objective of the follow up letter is to gain commitment to move
forward to the next step. In most cases it will not be necessary to have the prospect sign
off the letter, sometimes a phone call or face-to-face review of the schedule and a firm
handshake are appropriate.
If, after the initial call, you believe there is no opportunity, dont forget to write to the
prospect thanking him/her for his time and hope you will be able to do business with
him/her in the future.

- 32 -
Follow up/Action Plan Letter Template

Mr/Ms Customer
J ob Title
Company Name
Company Address

Dear Mr/Ms Customer:

The opening paragraph should be used to justify your presence in the account.
Here you should thank the customer for their time and interest.

Next confirm some of the initial findings regarding the customers business interests.
This statement should be generated from information gathered through previous
conversation, or the insight gathered during the initial assessment activities.

Next explain the purpose for following the schedule of proposed activities and events. By
following the plan, yours and the Oracle sales team will be able to gain an appropriate
level of understanding of the prospects business goals. With this knowledge, you will be
able to develop the best solution to impact these business goals. If you are able to take an
initial view of the impact to business drivers, include that data here.

Close the letter by asking the customer to advise you if you have missed any points then
finish with a follow-up date to review this document and gain agreement.

Yours sincerely

Your name
Your job title

CC: Your manager,
Your Channel Manager, Oracle Corporation

- 33 -
The Written Proposal

Overview
The proposal is the ultimate item, which will bring together all the strands that you have
been working on. It should sell your ability to deliver a quality solution. Whether you are
working on a small or a large deal you should ensure that the documents the prospect
reads are clear, precise and reflect the following where applicable:
1. Your knowledge of the prospects day-to-day operations and their main business
issues.
2. Your understanding of the needs of the various members of the prospects decision-
making team.
3. Their language and attitudes.
4. Responses to any fears and uncertainties expressed by the prospect during previous
meetings or calls.
5. J ustification for the decision and their investment with you.
The proposal should crystallize everything that is in the mind of the reader and should be
suitable for use as a working document for the reader to gain internal commitment to the
purchase.
If the size of the deal is relatively small you may choose to do a simple quotation, but a
covering letter should be sent detailing the Proof Points and Summary of the proposal.

Suggestions for content

Introduction
A preliminary statement outlining the background to the proposal, perhaps thanking the
prospect for being given the opportunity to respond to the bid.

Executive Summary
Outline a brief summary of your companys value proposition and why you are
responding to the customer. It is also useful to include a summary of the following as
senior management may only review the executive summary:
Highlight the business problem
Associated assumptions
Suggested solutions
Cost/Benefit analysis
Timings
Required steps to achieve maximum benefit of the proposed solution
Call to action

Proof Points
The key benefits to the customer of choosing your company and proposed solution. If
you are incorporating graphs make sure that they are clear, i.e. if it doesnt make sense in
10 seconds, redo it.

- 34 -
Summary of the proposal
Why you are proposing this solution and possible options for moving forward, e.g.
payment plan.

Finance Details
Details of any finance being made available.

Other Services Offered
E.g. Project co-coordinator, onsite account manager, etc.

The Financial Offer
Detail the products and services on which the offer is made. Detail the total price for each
of the component parts, e.g. software licenses, services, support and maintenance,
hardware, etc.

Timescales/Implementation Schedule
Events to be covered between now and the delivery of product and/or services.

Closing statement
Summarize and detail next actions. Make sure you state clearly if the proposal is based on
any criteria, e.g. subject to an order being received by 6th J uly. You may also need to
include any restrictions laid down by your company, e.g. Errors and Omissions Excepted,
Confidentiality Clause, etc.

Hints & Tips
When quoting for Oracle make sure you understand the different license and user types.
Do not lapse into technical jargon.
Your proposal should be viewed as both an internal justification document (why should
your company go after this business) and an external sales document (in some instances,
this document will be the only company representation a person may see board director
etc).
It can be useful to test your proposal on your customer before formally presenting it,
test it on your sponsor but not the person who will sign the contract.
- 35 -
Closing the Sale

Overview
Once youve done your initial questioning as explained in Fact Finding you are then in
a position to give a presentation on the solution you are trying to sell.
Preparing the presentation involves the following:
Having a thorough knowledge of your product and the services you offer
Having an insight into what the competition can offer
The ability to speak clearly, listen to your prospect and watch out for body language,
which indicates signs of interest, boredom, caution
Being organized and professional, more of which is discussed in Planning a Sales Call

Asking for the Order
Close early and often. You can always ask for the order at the first meeting.
Never be afraid to ask for the order. Customers get pleasure out of giving you an order
because they feel that you are then in their debt
Be bold and straightforward. Ask for what you want and don't try to disguise the fact
that you are asking for the order. Customers will see through the disguise
Use closing to get objections into the open. If this doesnt work you need to look at
using the If I handle that objection do we have a deal? approach

Dealing with Objections
Once youve finished your presentation your prospect may come up with reasons why
they dont want to buy what youre trying to sell them. Lets go back to a point covered
in Fact Finding. Are you trying to sell them something they dont need or want? Did
you ask the right questions at the initial stage? If you feel you are indeed offering them
something that will help their business, then you have to start teasing out why they are
reluctant to buy.
Sometimes a prospect will already have an order with your competitor and would prefer
to play it safe than try out your solution. In this instance, you could suggest a small trial
order. If your solution works far better than the others, then youre in a good position for
a bigger order next time, and you may be able to close out the competition. Whatever you
do, however, dont knock the competition. Instead emphasize the competitive advantages
of your products.

Another area where prospects often raise objections is that of cost. Perhaps you will be in
a position to offer a small discount, but quite often you will not.
The thing to do here is to emphasize value for money. Money is never the crux of an
issue with a buyer. What you need to get across is that your prospect will be getting value
for money. Emphasize the scalability, reliability and performance of the Oracle based
solution. Talk about the cost of ownership, quality of support and so on.
- 36 -
Lets take a look at those prospects that need to think about it. You can ask them what
exactly they need to think about. Have you not covered all their needs in your
presentation? Is there something about the product that they havent understood? If your
prospect can tell you what they need to think about, you may be in a position to swing the
meeting round to close the sale. What you must do is make a follow up appointment
there and then so that you have a fixed date when you can return to discuss the order.
A good tip for handling objections when selling by phone is to use language that will
conjure up a positive image in the prospects mind. Paint a picture by using words. Offer
to arrange a demonstration or send a sample. Think Good Customer Care and use the I
word, I can arrange a demonstration for you, I can have a sample sent to you right
away. Take charge of the call, show the prospect that you are responsible for them and
will do a good job for them.

Close it!
Say to your prospect Shall we go ahead with the ordering process now? If you feel this
approach is too direct, try a question that seems like an option but which requires a yes
answer, e.g. Would you like to pay everything at once, or in installments?.
Alternatively you can try a close which assumes that the prospect is definitely going to
buy, e.g. How soon would you like this delivered? Still think you cant be that forceful?
Try saying nothing! Depending on the type of person your prospect is, to sit back and
wait for them to take the initiative may be your best move. Use your judgment to decide
which close best suits both your personality and that of your prospect.

Hints and Tips
When giving your presentation leave brochures and anything else youd like your
prospect to look at until the end. If theyre distracted by paper they wont listen to you.
If the prospect suggests that they might be interested at a later date, put a note in your
files and contact them again when the time comes.
Remember if you dont ask you dont get ask for that order!
- 37 -
Negotiation Tips

Remember, if you dont have to negotiate dont!
You dont have to offer a discount. Consider other options such as a finance plan
Determine the prospects buying process as early as possible in the sales cycle.
Professional buyers introduced at the end will be looking for discount over and above any
you may have negotiated with the customer. Include buyers early
Deliver your proposal with confidence and not in a manner where you are expecting
them to respond with an objection or a request for discount
If you need to offer a discount, get something in return, e.g. prospect to agree to being a
reference customer
Rather than reducing the price try reducing the products or services that are included
Emphasize value rather than cost
If in a competitive situation make sure you the customer is looking at total cost of
ownership for all bids not just the initial price.

- 38 -
Objection Handling tips

Objections arent always a bad sign, they can be a buying signal
By continually reviewing your account plan and listening to the prospect you can often
prevent objections arising in the first place
If there are price objections, try to position the value of the complete offer, products,
services, account manager, etc. Often the objection is a false one, try and uncover what
the real objection is so that you can counter it
If you succeed in solving the problem, the relationship between you and the prospect
can become stronger

Stages to Objection Handling

Understand
Listen to the objection, make sure you understand it. Never argue back
Pause before replying. Give yourself time to think, time for the prospect to qualify the
objection, they may answer it themselves
Question if you need further clarification. Also before responding, use this opportunity
to make sure there are no further objections. This will avoid you being handed with
another objection as soon as you have solved the first one. It is better to get all objections
into the open, allowing you to move forward with a trial close "if I solve these
problems can the order be raised?"

Respond
Reassure the prospect that you have acknowledged his objection. If you dont have the
answer make a commitment as to when you will be able to reply

Confirm
When you have removed the objection get the customer to confirm that he is happy with
the response, then trial close.

- 39 -
Forecasting

Overview
Forecasting is a continuous activity, which should be carried out at all levels and on all
aspects of your companys business. Forecasting monitors, measures, and tracks sales
activities from sales person to sales manager and from sales manager, up to the Board of
Directors and the Managing Director.

Why Forecasting is Important
Forecasting is one of the primary business planning tools, which enables directors to
understand at any point in time the current sales position against annual objectives and
targets. Forecasting is the responsibility of all salespeople through which they are
accountable to the Managing Director and the shareholders. Your companys annual
business plan will cover a number of areas that are based on sales and expense
forecasting. Sales forecasting will take into account turnover and gross profit by market,
product and internal company division. Companies can apply a bottom up or top down
approach to business planning, often they use a combination of both.

A Bottom Up Approach
This relies on clearly identified account plans for each of your customer contacts. These
plans highlight opportunities and assess the potential of a sale. They also look at the
timings and influencing factors. This is why your forecast is crucial to help the company
develop its business plan and set realistic targets.
A Top Down Approach
This is used to assess expenditure in areas of capital requirements, resource planning,
training, operational expense and investment in growth. It also assesses the sales
contribution required to achieve company objectives. In this instance you will receive
your sales targets and operational expenditure budgets by division. Your role is therefore
to measure your success by forecasting current and likely sales against these objectives,
so the business plan can be reviewed on a quarterly basis and adjusted accordingly.
Regardless of the size of your company, forecasting is an essential business tool for
managing sales progress effectively..

How Often?
Forecasting should be done at the end of the month to predict for the coming months
sales and to show future business opportunities in a structured and measured way. Each
salesperson should make a forecast for every account that they are working on. The sales
manager then has an overall picture of forecasted business in the current and forthcoming
- 40 -
fiscal. Where necessary they can then plan the required resource and capital investment
for the company to manage the business growth effectively.
The same process applies to Oracle business. Oracle needs to see where its partners
business is going and what share of that business is dedicated to Oracle. This is
particularly important when you are applying for Marketing Development Fund (Refer to
http://oracle.partner.com =>Marketing Tab for more information regarding MDF).

How to Do It
What you need to do is apply a probability percentage next to each account, according to
what stage in the negotiations you are at. Each company has their own guidelines but this
table gives information on how Oracle asks its sales people to forecast.

Deal Probability
0% Project on hold/cancelled/lost/deleted
1% Suspect
10% Prospect
30% Customer presentations in progress
40% Shortlisted/Still in competition
60% Customer decided to go with Oracle
80% Final paperwork
90% Contract
100% Contract processed/Paperwork with order/booked/signed.

- 41 -
Case Studies

Case Study Number One

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS COMPANY

Background: The company has extensive experience in Oracle technology
They specialize in financial services and marketing
Type of Business: Distributed, multiple sites
Market Served: Financial consumers
Size: $50 million annual revenues
350 Employees
IT Environment: Current Hardware: 6 single CPU Servers. Current Software: Unix,
NT, Oracle Enterprise edition (75 Concurrent Devices), Customized
In-House Applications, 3 rd Party Applications
Business Issues: Need Intranet, self-service, employee web site
Need for 50 financial analysts to access adhoc info
Products: Oracle Enterprise Edition, Internet Application Server Enterprise
Edition, Internet Developer Suite
Likely Deal
(solution):
Migration of Concurrent Devices to Named User Plus*, additional
database licenses, new product licenses, support, education and
services
*Approval required before quoting.

Case Study Number Two

DISCRETE MANUFACTURING COMPANY

Background: The company has no experience with Oracle technology.
They specialize in manufacturing and distributing a product list of
over 100 parts.
Type of Business: Distributed, multiple sites
Market Served: Sell to 200 retailers
Size: $150 million annual revenues
600 Employees
IT Environment: Current Hardware: 3 single CPU Servers
Current Software: Unix, NT, 3rd Party Applications,
- 42 -
12 IT Employees
Business Issues: Looking to expand markets with existing retailers
Considering selling directly to consumers via web
Need remote inventory application for 4 warehouse locations
Products: Oracle Enterprise Edition, Partitioning, all Management packs,
Internet Developer Suite, Internet Application Server
Enterprise Edition,
Likely Deal
(solution):
New products as per above, support, education and services
Things to Think
About:
When will the system be ready for production? What is the
recommended hardware configuration? Does the customer require
development licenses & development tools? Collaboration Suite
for employee voice, email, fax, wireless, and files?

Case Study Number Three

TRAVELLERS INFORMATION COMPANY

Background: Developing a fast and easy-to-use GIS client application. This low-
cost application needs to be fully integrated and requires some
legacy resource data. Will be used in kiosks to locate points of
interest in tourist areas. Have been providing fax and call center
tourist information using legacy system
Type of Business: Sell to Government (Parks etc.) and Public Sector
(Tourism Bureaus, Airport Authorities etc.)
Market Served: Tourists
Size: $200M Annual Sales. 1500 Employees
IT Environment: Current Hardware: 5 MPP Unix and NT Cluster Servers
4 Unix Server with 4 CPU. 1 NT Cluster w/2 CPUs
Current Software: Legacy Applications
Business Issues: Need interactive, user friendly, Internet access
Need to reduce costs
Need to convert to one vendor software solution
Products: Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, Real Application Clusters,
Partitioning, Spatial, Mgmt Packs, Advanced Security, Internet
Application Server Enterprise Edition, Internet Developer Suite
Likely Deal
(solution):
Products per above, Support, Education, Services
Things to Think How to migrate? Probable reduction in staff
- 43 -
About:

Working With Oracle

As a member of the Oracle PartnerNetwork you have access to many online resources for
Oracle technology and E-Business Suite enablement. Benefits include education, support
services, marketing and sales assistance.

Contact Information

Oracle Home Page
The Oracle website contains a wealth of information relating to Oracle products and
services as well as the most recent Oracle news and up-to-date programs.
http://www.oracle.com

Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN)
OPN has been created specifically for you. This site is your gateway to the Oracle
PartnerNetwork and associated product, sales, marketing, support and education benefits.
These web sites will help you maximize the benefits you draw from the Oracle
PartnerNetwork.
http://partner.oracle.com

Oracle Solutions Catalogue
The Oracle Solutions Catalogue is a repository of partner solutions and services. End-
users use the Oracle Solutions Catalogue to search for Oracle based solutions and
services in their region and industry. Partners may complete their profile and solution
description by visiting http://partner.oracle.com =>Sales Tab

Oracle Technology Network
OTN provides services and resources that developers need to build, test, and deploy
applications using Oracle products and industry-standard technologies.
http://otn.oracle.com/

Partner Username and Passwords
Your partner username and passwords will be required to access many of the Oracle
PartnerNetwork benefits. The OPN Administrator in your organization will know your
username and password. You may also add yourself to your company membership at no
cost by visiting http://partner.oracle.com and selecting the J oin OPN Now feature.
- 44 -
Getting Started

Just For Sales
We have provided information to assist you in maximizing your sales revenue online at
the OPN web site. Get access to solutions sales kits, leads information, product
availability and platform requirements, and pricing and licensing information.
Step 1 Go to http://partner.oracle.com
Step 2 Enter your username and password
Step 3 Go to the Sales Tab
Step 4 Browse the categories of information available to you

Training to Keep Ahead:
We have put together a package of training to help you increase the Oracle skill set
within your company, this includes regularly scheduled training events, product updates
and technology based training. You also have unlimited access to Oracle Learning
Network, with hundreds of hours of constantly updated product and sales training
delivered by Oracle experts. You can access training available to partners and their sales
team on the education tab at partner.oracle.com.

In order to ensure that you understand and are well equipped to accurately price and
license Oracle programs for end-users, please view the Business Practices Training
associated with the license type and Oracle programs you distribute. In addition to
reviewing this training, you are encouraged to take a short reseller competency exam
before you execute an agreement to distribute Oracle.

You can access training available to your sales team on the education tab at
http://partner.oracle.com; the Business Practices Training information is also available on
the sales tab.
Promote the Partner Solutions Catalogue Your own Web Page at
Oracle:
The Oracle Solutions Catalogue is a worldwide, 24x7, Internet-hosted marketing and lead
generation portal an exclusive benefit of membership in the Oracle PartnerNetwork.
Ensure your details are up to date and then use this to promote your Oracle partnership
with customers.
Please go to http://partner.oracle.com under the Sales Tab o begin entering your service
and solution information into the Solutions Catalogue online profile.

Join the Oracle Technology Network (OTN) :
The Oracle Technology Network (OTN), http://otn.oracle.com, is your technical resource
for developing Oracle-based applications. Developers who join OTN will be part of an
- 45 -
online community with access to free software downloads, OTN-sponsored Internet
developer conferences, and discussion groups on up-to-date Oracle technology. In
addition, developers at your company can have access to a special partners-only section
of OTN.

How do I join?
Go to http://otn.oracle.com, 'Membership' section (top, right-hand corner of screen).
OTN and AppsNet membership is free.
To access the partners-only services, individual developers must register themselves for
OTN or AppsNet using your companys 12 digit PIN number.
After the individual developers at your company register for the partners-only section of
OTN or AppsNet, each will be provided with a unique username and password to access
the partner resources on OTN or AppsNet. Please note, the same username and password
will be valid on both sites.

- 46 -
Understanding Oracles Pricing and Licensing Practices

Overview

Today, our pricing model is simple, flexible and transparent and is designed to facilitate
an effortless purchasing process. Without the facts though, the numerous options offered
available to you can make our pricing and licensing model appear complex.

In this section, we explain pricing and licensing practices used by Oracle and also
provide information to help you use this document effectively.

Before you start creating a quote, you will required to understand the following topics:
Price List
Price List Supplement
Discount Schedules
License Migration and Upgrades
License Types offered for Partners
Current price lists, supplements, discounts and information on migrations, and licensing
are available for review on the sales tab of http://partner.oracle.com.

License Type determines how Oracle software can be used. License types for both
development/demonstration and deployment are detailed in this section.

Price List
Oracles Global Price List is used to price Oracle products you sell to customers. There
are attributes related to every product as explained below.

License Metrics
Oracle measures usage of its Core Technology programs with one of two metrics as
shown in Oracle's E-Business Price List. These are summarized below. Remember these
definitions are subject to change; always refer to the latest E-Business Price List before
quoting Oracle licenses to an end user.

Named UserPlus
An individual authorized by the customer to use the programs, which are installed
on a single server or multiple servers, regardless of whether the individual is
actively using the programs at any given time. A non-human operated device will
be counted as a named user plus in addition to all individuals authorized to use the
programs, if such devices can access the programs. If multiplexing hardware or
software (e.g., a TYP monitor or a web server product) is used, this number must
be measured at the multiplexing front end. Automated batching of data from
- 47 -
computer to computer is permitted. The customer is responsible for ensuring that
the named user plus per processor minimums are maintained for the programs
contained in the user minimum table in the licensing rules section (of the OLSA);
the minimums table provides for the minimum number of named users plus
required and all actual users must be licensed. !! Please remember that all users
authorized to access the software must be licensed as named users plus, regardless
of whether they are actively using the software at any given time.

Processor
All processors where the Oracle programs are installed and/or running. Programs
licensed on a Processor basis may be accessed by the customers authorized
internal users including agents and contractors) and third party users.

*When evaluating the license metric required, review number of users or processors. If
you are able to count the number of users, the customer has the option of Named User
Plus or Processor pricing. If you are unable to count the number of users, e.g. a public
access web site, then the end user should be licensed under the Processor metric if
available. A product is available only under the license metric(s) shown in the Price List.

In any transaction involving Oracle licenses, end users should be advised that any change
in the number of authorized users, increased processing power, or other changes to the
end users configuration or software use may require additional licenses to be purchased.
Please see the latest price list and Oracle Software Investment Guide on the sales tab for
specific information on licensing.

Licensing metrics for the e-business and collaboration suites are detailed in the latest
price list, located on the sales tab.

List Price
The prices specified in the E-Business Price List are list prices. The list price may be
adjusted by the e-business discount (when Oracle sells directly to an end user) or by a
partner discount or sublicense price (applicable to partner-sold Oracle sublicenses). For
specific details regarding the partner discounts and sublicense rates applicable to Oracle
sublicenses sold by your company, please refer to your Oracle Distribution Agreement or
contact your Value Added Distributor or Channel Manager. Licensing Terms, Notes, and
the Supplement are items referenced on the price list.

Term Licenses
In addition to the perpetual term listed on the price list, Oracle offers termed licenses.
The number of years in a term and the discounted price are listed in the footer of the price
list. Take the discounted term license price and then apply the discount in your
distribution agreement. Term license pricing is aimed at companies with small IT
budgets, but whose business requires a robust software solution. Note, although the
- 48 -
license fee is discounted, annual support on term licenses is the same price as support for
perpetual licenses.

License Notes
The E-Business Price List includes product related licensing notes to help to provide
additional licensing clarifications. Please make sure to refer to the licensing notes when
creating a quote as these notes can radically affect the pricing of your quote. For
example, the licensing minimum of Database Enterprise Edition is 25 Named Users Plus
per Processor; the number of licenses of the Database Options must match the number of
licenses of the associated Database.

Support
Oracle offers 2 levels of standard support: Product Support and Product Updates. Product
Support is a 24 by 7 phone support provided by Oracle Support and it requires the
Product Updates. Product Updates entitles the end users to obtain product updates. The
prices for Product Support and Product Updates are offered on the Price List. All
supported customers are entitled to migrate products in accordance with Oracles
migration policies.

For Full Use sales where support is included, you must quote the second year of support
to your customer. Oracle provides you with a tool to do so in Pricing Information and
Tools.

Price List Supplement
The Price List Supplement includes 2 sections: included products and prerequisite
products. An included product is a product that ships with the product being purchased at
no additional charge. Example: The Oracle Database Personal Edition ships with the
following products such as: Networking Kit and SQL*Plus at no additional charge.

Prerequisite Products: A prerequisite is a product that must be licensed separately, along
with the product being purchased. Many Oracle products have functional
interdependencies with other Oracle products. In some cases, prerequisite products are
sold separately. In others, where the functional interdependency is more limited,
customers automatically receive a free, restricted use license for a prerequisite product or
products to facilitate their use of the product they are licensing. Example: The Oracle
Database Enterprise Edition is a prerequisite to the product Real Application Cluster.
This means that the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition must be licensed when licensing
Real Application Clusters.

- 49 -
E-Business Discount Schedule
While a global price list enables Oracle to offer a consistent list price, the E-Business
discount ensures that net prices are consistent. The E-Business discount is a mandatory
discount that is based on transaction volume. Transaction volumes are determined by
adding the list license price and the list support price.

Multiple transactions that occur at different times may not be combined to generate a
higher transaction volume, and thus benefit from a higher discount. Once the discount is
determined, it is applied to both the List License and the List Support price.

License Migrations and Upgrades
Oracle offers standard license migrations to facilitate the conversion of existing licenses
from old license metrics to current license metrics. License migrations help ensure that
perpetual licenses retain their usefulness in evolving technological and business
environments.

In many cases, customers will want to migrate their licenses because the new metric is
more advantageous to them. Customers who want to add licenses to their configurations
also generally undertake license migrations, as it is easier to remain in compliance if all
licenses are under the same license metric.

License upgrades permit a customer to move from a more limited to a less limited
license, such as Database-Standard Edition to Database-Enterprise Edition.

When customers undertake a license migration or upgrade, all license requirements based
on the migrated or upgraded licenses must be met. The licenses being migrated or
upgraded must be under Oracle technical support (either directly with Oracle or through
an Oracle partner) at the time of the migration or upgrade.

There are three important documents you will use in putting together a license migration
quote for your customer: the Migration Matrix, the Migration & Upgrade Policies for
Oracle Partners, and the Migration Request Template. All are available to you via the
OPN sales tab at http://partner.oracle.com. Please note that all license migrations and
upgrades require approval from Oracle prior to being presented to the customer.
Individual customers may have contractual terms that affect license migrations and
upgrades, so it is important to review the contract under which the licenses being
migrated or upgraded were originally sold.

Where to find the Pricing and Licensing documents:
Step 1: Go To partner.oracle.com
Step 2: Login using your username and password
Step 3: Go to Sales tab
Step 4: Go to Portal Selling Oracle Products
- 50 -
Step 5: Click Pricing Information and Tools page which provides all the pricing and
licensing documents.

License Types

Licenses available for Partners to use in the development and demonstrating of
Oracle sublicenses
Development and Demonstration License
Trial

Licenses for Partners to resell or distribute
Full Use
Application Specific Full Use (ASFU)*
Embedded Software Licenses (ESL)*
ASFU and ESL licenses can only be sold by Partners who have packaged applications
registered by name with Oracle that include Oracle products.

Please note that if you want to acquire Oracle licenses for your own internal business
operations, you will need to purchase Oracle internal use licenses in addition to any
Development or Demonstration licenses you acquire.

Development and Demonstration Licenses (DLs)
Members of the Oracle PartnerNetwork at the Program Member level receive unlimited
numbers of Demonstration Licenses (DLs) Development Licenses at no charge for
certain Oracle programs specified in the OPN policies. These licenses allow you to
develop your application package or integrated solution, demonstrate Oracle products,
your application package or integrated solution, provide internal training and technical
support* for your employees and develop prototypes for prospective users (in order to
secure your end-users intent to purchase). Please review your Oracle PartnerNetwork
agreement for exact terms and conditions.
* A fee for technical support may be charged.
Trial Licenses
Trial licenses may be granted to your customers for up to 30 days. A Trial License is
available for all license types, solely for evaluation purposes, either of the Oracle
technology itself or of your associated application with the Oracle programs. Should the
trial license last longer than 30 days, you must remit the appropriate license fee to Oracle.
Full Use Licenses
A Full Use license provides an unaltered version of the programs will all functions intact.
It is the least restricted license offered by Oracle. Full use licenses are appropriate when:
The customer requires Oracles least restrictive license.
Where modifications to an application package broaden the original scope of the
application beyond its original restrictions (i.e. those of an ASFU).
- 51 -
Where the customer wishes to run multiple applications against the Oracle programs.

If you wish to acquire Full Use licenses of Oracle products for your own internal use, i.e.
to run your own business and operations, deliver customer training or host the Oracle
Programs on behalf of a third party, you should contact your Oracle Value Added
Distributor or your Oracle Channel Manager. Neither the Development Licenses received
through the OPN, nor the Development and Demonstration licenses shipped via the
Oracle Technology Network can be used in this context. Partners must sign a Full Use
Program Distribution Agreement prior to reselling Full Use Licenses.

Application Specific Full Use Licenses
An Application Specific Full Use (ASFU) license is a restricted use license of Oracle
products, whereby the customer is only permitted to use the Oracle software to run a
single specific application offered by an Oracle partner. An ASFU license allows its users
to modify the application package as long as such modifications do not broaden the scope
of the application (as defined in your Application Package Registration Form included in
the Oracle ASFU Distribution Agreement.) This form of licensing is not available to run
bespoke custom application development. Partners must sign an Application Specific Full
Use Program Distribution Agreement prior to reselling ASFU Licenses.

Embedded Licenses
An Embedded Software license is a restricted type of license sold by a Solution Provider
to run a single specific application where the eligible Oracle programs are embedded.
Oracle considers an Embedded License to be one where the application truly embeds the
Oracle database or other eligible Oracle programs and the customer has little or no
knowledge that an Oracle database exists in the application. Partners must apply for and
sign an Embedded Software License Distribution Agreement prior to reselling Embedded
Software licenses.
- 52 -
Understanding the Oracle Approval Process

Overview
As a member of the Oracle PartnerNetwork with a valid distribution agreement, you have
an agreement that lays down the terms by which you can distribute Oracle software and
services. However, there are a number of situations that may arise where you will need
additional approval from Oracle. Detailed below are the various scenarios and the
information required by Oracle for approval:

Application Service Providers/Service Bureau/Host Applications
Oracle is seeing an increase in requests from OPN Members who in addition to selling an
Oracle-based application, want to provide web-based hosting services to a customer. This
requires prior approval and special pricing from Oracle.

Selling Oracle E-Business Suite Applications
Most Oracle distribution partners are only authorized to sell Core Technology. Program
Members wishing to sell Oracle E-Business Suite Applications must apply to partner with
EBS. If you are not an Oracle Application Reseller, but come across an opportunity for
the eBusiness Suite, you may refer a lead to Oracle through the Open Market Model.
More information on the Open Market Model is accessible in the Transact Business with
Oracle section on the Sales Tab.

Migrating Customers with Old License Metrics
As Oracle adjusts its standard license metrics to accommodate for enhancements in our
products, it may become advantageous for existing end users to migrate their existing
licenses to current license metrics. An example of this would be migrating existing
Concurrent Device licenses to Processor licenses. Such a change might be driven by a
need for additional users or programs or a change in the hardware environment.

To facilitate software license management, it is recommended that a customer maintain
all his Oracle licenses for any given program under a single license metric. This may
generally involve undertaking a license migration of existing licenses from old to current
metrics. The licenses being migrated must be under Oracle technical support (either
directly with Oracle or through an Oracle partner) at the time of the migration. Any
license migration requires approval from Oracle prior to quoting the migration to the end
user. Please see the License Migrations & Upgrades section above for additional details.

- 53 -
Preparing the Oracle Order

Overview
When configuring the Oracle Solution there are a number of things you need to think
about before you can start to put pen to paper. This topic outlines the various steps
involved in putting together the proposal/order:

Step One Solve the Customers Problems
Provided that you have done your homework and identified the prospects needs, the first
thing you need to do is match the Oracle products to the solution. For more information
on what each of the products do, refer to the Oracle web site www.oracle.com/products

Step Two Formulate Into Oracle Practices and Terminology

What Configuration is it?
Two Tier
Three Tier
Browser Based/Customer Server
Host Based/Disconnected Customers
Number of Processors (running Oracle programs)
Number of Users (countable or not?)
Hosted Application

What is the License Type?
Note that Oracle Partners must have a valid distribution agreement for the license type
they wish to resell.
Full Use
Application Specific Full Use*
Embedded Software License*
* These are restricted use types of licenses that may only be sold by an Oracle Partner in
conjunction with a registered Application Package.

Which License Metric is Appropriate?
Named User Plus
Processor
Other, per the Oracle Global Price List

- 54 -
Step Three Establish Pricing

Latest price lists and the Software Investment Guide are available via the Oracle
PartnerNetwork.
(partner.oracle.com =>Sales Tab/Selling Oracle Products/Pricing Information
and Tools)

Price the Database and Related Products
Oracle worked with its customers, industry analysts and business partners to develop the
Software Investment Guide. This comprehensive helps you understand licensing concepts
and applying them to your customer configurations.

Price the Tools
If the customer requires Internet Developer Suite, you must ensure that he is adequately
licensed not only for the developer community but also for the deployment community.

Price Customer Support and Updates
Support and Updates should always be included in the deal! All levels and types of
support should be considered in providing the proper support to meet a customers needs.
If the customer declines support or updates remember to advise him of the Oracle
Reinstatement Policy.

Price Customer Education
Include relevant Oracle Education courses.

Calculate Total Pricing
The last but one step is to calculate the total figure. Remember that sometimes by using
the Oracle Financing, you can grow your deal and overcome customer cash flow
concerns. Please note that Oracle Finance will finance the customer; partner financing
must be arranged through a third party. More information on financing can be found on
the sales tab.

Review Term
Determine whether a Term License is appropriate for the customers requirement. Term
pricing is aimed at those customers who dont have large budgets and a finance
agreement is not an option, but whose business demands enterprise class database and
applications, or for companies who use the database and applications on a project basis.
Customers have the option to purchase perpetual or term licensed based on customer
needs.

Calculate Partner Discount
And finally you need to take your discount/volume discount rates per your Agreement
into consideration and calculate your buy price from your Value Added Distributor or
Channel Manager.

- 55 -
Include Media Pack and Shipping Charge

Step Four Choose Agreement Types for your Customers

License Agreements Full Use

Purchasing Via a Value Added Distributor
The ordering paperwork is detailed in your Oracle Full Use Distribution Agreement, or as
otherwise defined by your Value Added Distributor. However, when raising the order
you will also need to indicate under which Terms and Conditions the Oracle Programs
have been sold to your customer:
Partners End-User License Agreement: you may license the Oracle programs under
terms of a written end user license agreement created by you. In order to adequately
protect Oracles intellectual property rights, you are required to include certain provisions
in your license agreement with the customer. These provisions are included in your Full
Use Distribution Agreement.
Oracle Licensing and Ser vices Agreement: you may have the customer agree to the
terms of the OLSA, which is a transaction-based agreement. Therefore, a customer must
agree to the terms on each transaction. You may instruct your customer to agree to the
OLSA via our online OLSA clickwrap application, or you should have the customer sign
the OLSA and submit it with your Order to Oracle, or Value Added Distributor. Oracle
will countersign the agreement and send it back to you or your Value Added Distributor
for further distribution to your customer. The most recent version of the OLSA can be
found on the OPN site.
Software License and Ser vices Agreement (SLSA): you may distribute the Oracle
programs to a customer, for use in accordance with an existing Software License and
Services Agreement (SLSA) or other license agreement between Oracle and the
customer. If this is the case you must provide the name and signature date of the
agreement, as well as the agreement number (if available). Prior to processing the order,
Oracle will verify the existence of the agreement.

Purchasing Direct from Oracle
You will need to provide the following:
Completed Oracle Partner Ordering Document. A blank form can be found on the OPN
site.
Partner purchase order

You are also responsible for ensuring that the customer has seen the correct Terms and
Conditions by which they are purchasing the Oracle programs and will be asked to
confirm details on the Ordering Document:
Partners end-user license agreement: you may license the Oracle programs under terms
of a written sublicense agreement created by you. In order to adequately protect Oracles
intellectual property rights, you are required to include certain provisions in your license
agreement with the customer. These provisions are included in your Full Use Distribution
Agreement.
- 56 -
Oracle Licensing and Services Agreement: you may have the customer agree to the
terms of the OLSA, which is a transaction-based agreement. Therefore, a customer must
agree to the terms on each transaction. You must have the customer sign the OLSA and
submit it with your Order to Oracle, or Value Added Distributor. Oracle will countersign
the agreement and send it back to you or your Value Added Distributor for further
distribution to your customer. The most recent version of the OLSA can be found on the
OPN site.
Software License and Ser vices Agreement (SLSA): you may distribute the Oracle
programs to a customer, for in accordance with an existing Software License and
Services Agreement (SLSA) or other license agreement between Oracle and the
customer. If this is the case you must provide the name and signature date of the
agreement, as well as the agreement number (if available). Prior to processing the order,
Oracle will verify the existence of the agreement.

License Agreements Application Specific Full Use (ASFU) and Embedded
Software Licenses (ESL)

The license and order terms for ASFU/ESL programs will be as required by your
Application Specific Full Use Distribution Agreement or Embedded Software License
Distribution Agreement. You must license the Oracle programs under terms of an end-
user license agreement created by you. In order to adequately protect Oracles intellectual
property rights, you are required to include certain provisions in your license agreement
with the customer. These provisions are included in your Application Specific Full Use
Distribution Agreement or Embedded Software License Distribution Agreement.
For each customer that you have shipped the Oracle programs to you will need to report
the resale to Oracle at the end of the month for all sales/shipments in the prior 30 days. A
sublicense report containing all the items required in your Distribution Agreement must
be completed and sent to your Value Added Distributor or, by prior approval, to Oracle
with a copy of your Purchase Order, or payment. A blank sublicense report can be found
on the OPN site.

THINGS TO REMEMBER!
Make sure you are using the latest price list!
Remember to check for minimum entry levels!
With Term Licenses, support and updates fees are calculated as a percentage of List
Perpetual price!
If you are proposing a Term License ensure the customer is aware that usage rights
terminate at the end of the term.
Check for special rules relating to certain products: Options only available with
certain product editions & user maximums: (examples: Database Standard Edition is
limited to servers with maximum capacity of 4 processors; Oracle Database Standard
Edition One is limited to servers with maximum capacity of 2 processors; Oracle
Database Personal Edition is limited to a maximum of 1 Named User Plus per
database.)
Price lists are confidential, do not distribute outside of your organization!
- 57 -
If you require special Oracle approval, make your request as early as possible.
Remember to check the Price List Supplement for included products to be licensed
separately and supported migrations for old products.
- 58 -

Account Plan

Sales person: ______________________ Account Name: ________________________

Existing Customer or Prospect: _____________________________________________

Date Completed: ___________ Date Updated: ___________ Version number: _______

INDUSTRY BACKGROUND

Industry/Products: _______________________________________________________

Trends/Issues affecting Industry: ____________________________________________

Regulations/Laws affecting Industry: _________________________________________

ACCOUNT BACKGROUND

Fiscal Year ended: __________ Turnover ($m): __________ Profit ($m): ___________

% +/- on previous year: __________________ No of Employees: __________________

Market Share %: _______________________ Forecast Growth %: ________________

Total IT Spend: _________ of which Partner Name/Oracle Addressable: ____________

Purchasing Centralized/Decentralized: ________________________________________

PARTNER NAME/ORACLE ACTUAL SPEND

FY01 FY02 FY03 FY01 FY02 FY03

Licenses: Support

Hardware Consulting

Education:

Compelling Business Events (e.g. Deregulation): _______________________________

- 59 -

What effect are the Accounts competitors having (e.g. setting up an Electronic Store
front):

Key Business Priorities & Strategy:

Key IT Projects:

Identifiable, Quantifiable Benefits and compelling business reasons for this Account to
business with our company:

IT INFRASTRUCTURE please fill in the following

HARDWARE SOFTWARE OPERATING

Environment:

Host:

Server:

Customer:

- 60 -
HISTORICAL ACTIVITIES WITH ACCOUNT

Key Event Date Attendees Purpose Result

Key Contracts Turnover ($m): Profit ($m): Signed by

YOUR COMPETITION

Major Competitors:

Customer Satisfaction with Primary Competitor:

Primary Competitor Strategy in the Account:

Primary Competitor Activity in the Account:

Identify Operational Applications already installed (A)/Plane to install (P) Stating
supplier name, Application, Size, Timescale (P):

Other Competitive Information:

Who in your Account do you need to make Contact with? What is your objective for
this Relationship? How do you plan to gain access?

Target Contact Accessibility (H,M,L) Objective

- 61 -
EXECUTIVE RELATIONSHIP PROFILE

Identify the three executives with whom you wish to build a relationship and for each,
record the following:

(P) Personality (D=Dominant, I=Influencer, S=Steady, C=Cautious)
(D) Decision Making Role (=Approver, D=Decision maker, I=Influencer)
(S) Satisfaction (1=High, 2=Medium, 3=Neutral, 4=Dissatisfied, 5=Very Dissatisfied)
(R) Relationship (1=Partner, 2=High Value, 3=Neutral, 4=Negative, 5=Competitive
High Value or Partner)

NAME/TITLE Personality Decision making Satisfaction with Relationship
Type Role Your company/Oracle rating

Name:
Title:

Name:
Title:

Name:
Title:

ORACLE IN THE ACCOUNT

Oracle installed base:

Oracle Skills:

Customer Satisfaction Level with Partner/Oracle products and services:

Plans to extend Existing usage of Oracle:

Potential for Partner/Oracle Products & Services:

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

Key Influencers Key Hardware Suppliers Key ERP Suppliers

Account Plan
- 62 -

Forecast

Quarterly Forecast Annual Forecast
Customer/
Project
Deal Value
License/ Products/
Services
Month Core
Number
Upside Total Estimate Remaining

- 63 -

Expenses

Date Item Chargeable Amount Receipts Balance Claimed

Total

- 64 -

Oracle Sales Guide

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Oracle Sales Guide

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Oracle Sales Guide

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Oracle PartnerNetwork

Partner Sales Guide

You might also like