Take off your seller hat just for a minute and put on your buyer (consumer) hat. You walk into a Verizon store to check out all the new tablets available. The salesperson calls your number (because you had to wait your turn). Instead of asking you about how you plan to use the tablet and showing you some of the options available on the two contrasting tablets they think are most suitable to your needs, they take a different approach. They ask you how much you make, how you currently spend your money and start to brainstorm things you might consider doing without so you can afford the tablet. That would be an odd approach don't you think?
Don't Start by Focusing on Price
B2B salespeople make this mistake too often.
It's a tactical mistake to focus on how the prospect is going to pay for your product or service. You should mind your own business. What is your business?:
1. Approach armed with essential insights and smart questions
2. Get an Assignment the prospect is eager to see a solution for
3. Present a handful of ideas to find one they are excited about
4. Further develop that idea—with their input
5. Discuss how much they would be willing to invest in the solution
6. Determine all the hurdles to clear so you can present a buyable solution (sign-off process, IT issues, timing, etc.)
7. Present a no-surprise proposal (no surprises, so they can say yes on the spot)
If you do all of these things well, they will find the money. You don't need to do that for them.
To learn more about how to stay on track when working with a prospect (we call the best prospects "Target accounts"), download our Target Account Progress Tracker.
