What would you like to buy?

After much communication and diary shuffling one of your account managers secures an opportunity to meet a senior executive of a high value prospect. What is your advice to her?

I have seen many account managers in Tech firms blow this opportunity because they have been pressured to create a lead that can be added to the sales funnel. Thus the account manager is all geared up to walk through your company history, tell the CxO how bad your competitors are and to then lay out the product stall as if to say “what you would like to buy?”

The reality is that when a senior executive is ready to buy they will in most cases set their procurement people onto you. At this stage they are of course interested but they want to know what you have for them that is over and above the commercial transaction they are considering.

If your people are not bringing value to the table then be braced to deliver discount in due course.