Today’s Buying Is More Structured Than Ever Before
Most large organizations, and an increasing number of smaller ones, have a defined buying process. These processes are increasingly structured and indeed sophisticated. (a) More Sophisticated Buying Organizations have never been better, or at least more careful at buying. In particular, when it comes to major purchases they are applying greater rigor and sophistication to […]
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 […]
A Mahogany Buying Revolution Catches Sellers Off-Guard
Two fundamental changes are transforming the way important corporate buying decisions are made. The first change everybody is aware of, that is the global economic slowdown and the slow process of recovering from recession. The second change, although equally important, is much less obvious. It concerns the increasingly sophisticated nature of corporate buying decisions. The […]
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 […]
Budget Cuts Turn Priorities On Their Head
Buyers Confront New Market Realities A long period of buoyant growth ended suddenly in 2008, resulting in a fundamental shake up of industries and economies worldwide. Thus it was that a golden age of corporate growth, confidence and ambition gave way to a period of retrenchment and uncertainty. Almost universally, organizational priorities have changed from […]
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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