I’ve done a few different sales jobs in my time (he says stroking his old salesman’s beard) and the most difficult to get to grips with was the one which involved selling solutions that cost a lot, but offered little gain to the prospect’s present position.

So, how can that be? Surely buyers only buy to gain on their current position? Stop and think – that’s actually not correct. The situation was that the industry in which they worked was changing significantly. It was necessary for the prospects to invest heavily to, at best, maintain their current business avoid future loss. The pain/problem was in the future and they knew they had to do something about it.
(more…)

If you have ever had an opportunity stall for X months when your prospect tells you of some new board/procedure/process, you’ll know that having a good knowledge of their buying process is vital in helping you plan actions, forecast close and provide the appropriate support to your sponsor. Here are a few ways to ask your prospect about their processes.
(more…)