Navigating the Pursuit

by Tim Roberts

#blindside

Don’t you hate getting the evil blindside after you convinced yourself the sale was in the bag or worse, when you believe the prospect convinced you it was yours! The tick of the time bomb just wasn’t loud enough – you thought. I hear this far too often, “Tim, I just wasn’t aware that____________.” (Go ahead, just fill in one of the excuses you’ve heard).

Sales teams are often guilty of forging ahead in the sales process in spite of potential risk that may well jeopardize the value proposition or the sale itself. Consider these three challenges which can be typical to the enterprise sale:

•         You do not have multi-level client relationships
•         Key decision makers have not been involved in your discussions
•         The business can be won, but you cannot achieve an acceptable margin

What actions would you need to take to mitigate the challenge? Who on your team, specifically, is responsible for the mitigation strategy and what is the time line for addressing them? Who else needs to be advised, made aware, or recruited to assist? And most importantly, who makes the appropriate Go/No-Go decisions?

“Navigation” is the key word in pursuing your top five targeted accounts.  Having a pursuit navigation process that explores these and many more issues is paramount to success.

Specific tools provide a clear road map to where your Go’s and No-Go’s are at. The tool we deploy here at Sandler is called Pursuit Navigator. The process we use breaks down the relevant issues into three sections: Client Issues, Selling Team Issues, and Financing/Contract Issues. The Pursuit Navigator tool provides a thought-provoking deal forum to craft a winning solution that can be successfully and profitably delivered.

Don’t wing a complex sale. If you want a conquest account bad enough, navigate your due diligence with clarity.

At Sandler Training Trustpointe, we help our clients drive the process. To learn more about mitigation strategies, ticking time bombs, and the pursuit of happiness, contact Tim Roberts at 317-845-0041 or tim.roberts@sandler.com.

Aye, Captain, full steam ahead!