Shape Buyer Decision Criteria to Win More Deals

What was the most painful deal you lost last quarter? This is the right time to reflect: What could you have done better? Often, it's not about your pitch -- it's about the buyer's criteria. So what should you do differently?

Think about it:

You probably do a good pitch: It's clear and it sings.

You're probably also good at rolling up the various stakeholders and organizing a process.

So then why would you lose a deal?

Sometimes it's bad luck: The budget disappears, a stakeholder leaves. That's life -- you can't prevent those things.

Let's focus on what you can control.

When you lose after selling well, it's because the prospect was looking for something else.

In other words, they used *criteria* for their decision that led to a different product. You sold like a champ but it didn't matter.

You shot a great three pointer but they were looking for you to kick a field goal.

Next time, think deeper: Shape the buyer's criteria, don't just sell well.

The way to do this is to help the buyer understand their problems and understand their choices.

Don't just tell them their problems are really important.

Tell them what's interesting about their problems, something that helps them understand *how* to solve them not just that they need to solve them.

Then take the competition on. Help them understand why the competitors don't solve the problems as well as you do.

In other words, selling isn't just about a great pitch. It's about shaping the way your prospect chooses.

Great sellers are starting to win the deal even before they pitch!

- - -

If you liked this article, have a look at our piece on Effective Discovery so you can see how to gather information about prospect problems that helps you shape their criteria. You can also check out the P.S.I. Selling Content Page for more insights on sales communication, strategy, and leadership.

Want to build a sales process that proves value and a team that can execute? Get in touch.

For more about the author, check out Mike's bio.