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What To Do When Your Deal Goes Sideway #428
Ever been in a situation where just as you thought the deal was won, it all fell apart like a house of cards? It’s painful, I know. Especially given the fact that you may have invested a mass of time and energy and now it appears it’s all to no avail. Frustrating right? What are you to do when your deals go sideways? That’s the chapter for today.
Today’s Chapter: Sideway Deal
When a deal is in harmony
It advances with ease and grace.
When a deal goes sideways
There is confusion and doubt.
The changing of the guard,
A block on funding
Or stakeholder grudge can create the Great Illusion called fear.
Like a filled cup,
You must empty your thoughts before refilling it.
Allowing for possibility not yet revealed.
People often fail at the verge of success,
Give as much care to the end,
as to the beginning.
Today’s Story
Chris was excited when the prospects agreed to sign the service agreement. It took a lot of effort to get this deal over the goal line. But then there was a twist.
One of the stakeholders loudly expressed doubts about the purchase and soon the entire buying team was getting cold feet. The deal had gone sideways.
“I’m not sure what to do next”, said Chris. “I thought we had this signed sealed and delivered.”
Pat commiserated but added “I had a sense you rushed the deal and pushed the boss to close. When it comes to some organizations, it only takes one no vote to veto the purchase. Sometimes at the last minute the budget gets yanked and once I had a Champion on my side and they quit to take a better job. Just like that, poof, my deal went sideways.
These things happen, be patient, restart the conversation and assume your back to square one. Good luck!”
Take Action Quote
In a letter to his son in 1930, Albert Einstein wrote “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” As a lifelong bicyclist this resonates with me.
Gravity is unrelenting. When peddling we need to make constant corrections to stay upright and not fall sideways. The same is true when selling. Just when you think the deal is made, it starts to fall over. Never forget, the deal isn’t done until your paid, you get the PO or the contract is signed.
Just because they say they’re willing to buy, doesn’t mean they will buy. Expect trouble at every turn, do due diligence and let the deal take as long as it needs to take. Expect the worst, but hope for the best. That’s the way to approach a sideway deal.
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How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble
Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers. Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help, showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com
You can be yourself when selling. It’s all about helping others with their challenges and aspirations. I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discuss all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most important the right selling mindset. Stop fearing sales and embrace it. Learn the selling secrets for non-sellers and start making a difference today. Here is the entire back catalog of episodes in the sales podcast. Look here https://www.salesbabble.com/sales-podcast-free-advice/
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