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How To Allow a Buying Decision Without Forcing #479
When it comes to the enterprise sale I liken the seller to a ringmaster at the circus choreographing multiple acts happening all at once with dogs and ponies over here, aerial acrobats up there. There are a lot of moving parts and often times the buyers have competing and conflicting interests. So it begs the question what’s a seller to do to bring order out of all this disorder? The Tao teaches wu-wei actionless action and not force a decision on anyone. But what’s the best way to get the team to make a buying decision? That’s the topic for today.
Today’s Chapter: The Wise Decision Maker
The buyer values tradition.
Fearful of flash in the pans,
They prefer the serious,
the powerful,
And the so-called safe.
Yet the market is a series of spontaneous changes.
To resist only creates sorrow.
It’s the wise decision-maker who knows they don’t know.
The Master Seller speaks of the risk of avoiding risk
And how when spring comes
The grass grows itself.
Today’s Story
Chris was managing a large business-to-business deal and it was getting out of hand. There were many members on the team and just as many factions. No one could agree on what they wanted much less agree on buying Chris’s offering. Unsure what to do Chris knocked on Pat’s door.
Chris started, “Remember the Lee deal I talked about last month, the one with the humongous buying team? Well, they’re stuck and I can’t make any headway. Where am I screwing this up?”
Pat laughed, “Yes I remember that deal. If I recall they’re risk intolerant and prefer the status quo which is always your biggest competitor. Doesn’t Lee have the final say?”
“Supposedly yes.” said Chris, “but I’m not certain.”
Pat paused and then said, “Smart organizations are good with change if … it happens in an orderly manner. What they hate is having change shoved on them. Some people will fight to the end on stopping change.”
Pat then went on, “Lee is your best choice. Meet with them separately and talk frankly about risk. Show how it’s risky assuming the current circumstances won’t change. They will! Like the seasons, the markets are always in flux. This is especially true in Lee’s industry. To not decide, is to decide.”
Take Action Quote
Lao Tze wrote,
“In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added. In the practice of the Tao, every day something is dropped.”
As sellers it’s easy to get excited about a new product or service, forgetting that most people have years invested in the tried and true. You can’t force change or a buying decision. It’s only with kindness and patience can we create space for buyers to drop past beliefs and arrive at frictionless action. When the old disappears, space is made for the new.
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How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble
Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers. Masterful selling is deeply understanding what buyers need, discerning if you can help, showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is both good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com
This is a production of Habanero Media https://habaneromedia.net
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