Introducing The Self-Contained Buyer!
(a) Buyers Are ‘Doing It For Themselves!’ Buyers are increasingly self-contained. They like to be in control and to stay in control. That means they start to elicit the requirements, build the business case and define the solution well in advance of meeting vendors. Buyers know that they have the power in a market where […]
Selling To Solomon – Selling To Buyers Who ‘Know It All’
Much of traditional selling is based on the premise that the seller knows more than the buyer. Well, this assumption is increasingly being proven to be false. Today’s buyer is more skilled and experienced than ever before and that presents the salesperson with both opportunities and challenges. (a) Complex Decisions Require Skilled Managers Managers are […]
The Purchasing Department Re-invents Itself
The Revolution in the Purchasing Department Previously purchasing was a bureaucratic department that completed transactions and managed the associated paperwork. Now it is considered to be an integrated function, which aims to ensure professional buying skills and practices are applied to all corporate buying decisions organization-wide. How the role of purchasing has changed is summarized in […]
The Business Case Is King!
One of the key trends of concern to sellers is the rise in importance of the business case in the making of important buying decisions. The reality is that the business case is King and that means sellers must bow before it. (a) Putting the Business Decision First Major purchase decisions are first and foremost […]
More Buyers Are Straitjacketed!
(a) Managers Loose Purchasing Autonomy Manager autonomy and discretion with respect to purchase decisions and supplier selection has been greatly diminished. The manager cannot simply write a check, or sign a purchase order. In the tightly controlled buying processes of today there is no room for impulse decisions. With less money to go around, managers […]
Why Last Year’s Sales Pitches Are Missing The Mark
Seller’s cold calls, sales pitches and sales proposals are increasingly missing the mark. However, these are just symptoms of a more fundamental problem. That is: the way organizations are sold to is increasingly at odds with how they buy. How has this mismatch occurred? Well, it is because most sellers don’t realize that a revolution […]
9 Ways Buying Has Been Transformed
In what amounts to a revolution, the buying decisions are being transformed in 9 different ways: 1. Budgets are Being Slashed Budgets have been slashed, with major projects and purchases scaled back, scrapped, or stalled. 2. Managers Are Being Straight-jacketed Manager autonomy and discretion with respect to purchase decisions and supplier selection has been greatly […]
Bewildered By Today’s Buyers?
Buyers have rewritten the rules of modern buying. They are adopting an increasingly structured and indeed scientific approach to how buying decisions are made. The result is new steps, people and even logic involved in the buying decision. The only problem is that most sellers are not aware of these changes. Without an understanding of […]
9 things unforgiving buyers don’t like
Buyers have heard it all before, which makes them a little more demanding. In short they are less forgiving when salespeople make any of the following mistakes: Not knowing enough about your own products, or the customer’s industry. The number one complaint of buyers is a lack of product knowledge on the part […]
How to Maximise the Success of Your Sales Calls
In the present environment, salespeople are delighted with the opportunity to meet with anybody who expresses an interest. But, what exactly is the purpose of that first meeting and how to maximise its success? For example, how speedily can you qualify the opportunity? To help you we have pulled some of the key points from […]
Ask Fewer Questions In Your First Meetings
Question With Care! Salespeople have been told to talk less and listen more. In this way they can gain a better understanding of the needs of their customers and prospects. That means salespeople are arming themselves with more and better questions aimed at qualifying the prospect, understanding his needs, eliciting information regarding the buying process, […]
Don’t forget to ‘CEO Proof’ your sales proposition
Every body knows that buying decisions are increasingly being made at higher levels. And it is not just a matter of senior executives rubber stamping decisions made by their lower level managers. In times of increased risk and uncertainty, senior managers are steering all significant purchase decisions. But is selling to a CEO, or a […]
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StartupSandy: 
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