Competitors can come in all shapes and sizes. Large opportunities you pursue may attract a variety of competitors and a larger number of them than you are used to seeing. Some ways you can think about different kinds of competitors: Better understanding your competition can inform your strategy and minimize surprises! Feel free to contact […]
Tag: differentiation from competition
Deals getting close…not closing?
The client is seeing value in your solution, maybe they have mentioned they “would like to partner”…but they have some reason they want to wait…so you feel like the deal is stuck. How do you proceed? How do you get the deal moving again and closed? What is the customer saying? There are many ways […]
Clients delaying scheduling meetings?
I wish there were quick and easy answers on this topic. Suggestions you might find on the internet to, for example, offer a time limit on special pricing (and other similar tactics) sometimes do not motivate customers. Attempting this approach can undermine trust you have worked hard to build. The answers to how to create […]
Handling Objections – Price is too high
Please do not immediately lower your price…when you get this objection an opportunity has been created for you to better understand the client’s perspective. An approach to learning about why you got this objection and how you might respond… Price is high compared to ? Price is always relative…meaning, what are they comparing your price […]
Why invest time supporting others
While you surely focus most of your time on your clients and partners, helping others without expecting something in return can be highly valuable. Ted Pizzo, Senior Vice President – Lockton Companies does an incredible job providing value for many in this way. More about Ted’s approach and how investing some of your time may […]
Why double your effort this summer
During a normal year people are on vacation for some portion of the summer, including your competition. This year, as you would expect, may have more people looking to take a break. The translation could be MORE opportunities for your business…why? Competitors may assume customers are on vacation Many sales reps assume that customers are […]
How your client’s company culture impacts your selling effort
Particularly if you are pursuing opportunities that involve multiple contacts at your client, it will be critical to pay attention to company culture. In talking with Al Curnow – Vice President, High Performing Culture he stated…”your client’s culture can directly impact your selling effort”. Some thoughts on how to be more informed and decide on […]
How to differentiate yourself when you are interviewing
Whether selling is something you are comfortable with or not, a critical part of the interviewing process is understanding the competitive landscape. Here are some questions to consider: How many other candidates are you competing with? 10? 20? More? If you cannot get this information, assume you have many competitors…it will make you work smarter. […]
Managing communication when pursuing a large/complex deal
Managing communication internally with your team and externally with the customer can be the difference between winning and losing a large/complex deal! Why does communication need to be managed? When you are pursuing a large, complex opportunity there are numerous people involved and a lot of information is flying around. Just look at the themes […]
Understanding your competition
Over the past week or so I have covered three important components of a sales pursuit strategy: 2/14/2020 Key contacts and their roles 2/18/2020 Mapping the customer’s decision process 2/21/2020 Customer decision criteria This article focuses on understanding your competitors and what they may be doing. Learning about your competitor’s approach to the opportunity is […]