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 growing sales to cutting costs. No where can the effects of this […]
Selling Higher – Are You Ready to Climb?
The fact that decisions are being made at a higher level requires a totally different approach to selling. It can present many challenges for the salesperson, including access. Indeed, our experience of dozens of United Kingdom sales campaigns suggests it is 50% more difficult to access C level (CEO, CFO, or CTO) executives in major […]
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 […]
The Age of The Skeptical Buyer Has Dawned
(a) ‘Sales Weary’ Buyers Buyers are more skeptical of vendor sales; people, processes and promises than ever before. They don’t trust easily, or forget quickly- and with good reason. Buyers are increasingly ‘sales-weary’, so sellers take great care! (b) The Sins of Past Sales People Here is a simple reality that we as sellers need […]
Buying Gets Strategic!
Welcome to the new strategic buying! Purchasing has been elevated from an administrative function to a strategic business driver and this has important implications for sellers. (a) The Strategy Behind The Purchase Managers are required to demonstrate how projects and purchases fit with strategic priorities and drive business performance. That is because major purchase decisions […]
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 […]
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 […]
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