Top salespeople are often the veterans. They have deep relationships, and when there is an RFP (request for proposal) or a big contract up for bid, they know just how to zero in on that transaction and bring home the biggest share of the business.
The prospect has already decided they are going to spend that money for your product or industry. It's the "money on the table" or the low hanging fruit, and the issue was always about beating the competition.
Transactional business is critical to secure, and the big wins take hard work. But those successes can blind even the best sales reps from rocking the boat enough to look for more opportunities.
There is often more money available than what is on the table.
Most clients have multiple needs, multiple product lines, and multiple goals to reach. Obviously, you will need to find a product fit with these other opportunities, but with a little detective work and some creative thinking, you can find the hidden opportunities.
- What other product or services does this client offer?
- What other departments are in this company? What are their goals?
- Who else should you be talking to?
The next time there are high fives in the office for the big transactional win, make sure that success isn’t blinding you to the potential for more enterprise business still waiting to be found and earned.
