{"id":5982,"date":"2015-04-22T04:00:01","date_gmt":"2015-04-22T09:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rocksdigital.com\/?p=5982"},"modified":"2024-06-25T14:07:32","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T19:07:32","slug":"how-to-sell-to-decision-makers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocksdigital.com\/how-to-sell-to-decision-makers\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales Strategy 101: How to Sell To Decision Makers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Selling
Image Credit \u2013 bunyarit klinsukhon\/Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you are not calling on the decision-makers who can buy from you, you\u2019re wasting valuable time and resources and you need to change your sales strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Water seeks its own level and the same can be said of salespeople. According to research, as much as 60% of a salesperson\u2019s time is spent in front of people who either can\u2019t buy or will never buy their products and services.<\/p>\n

Many salespeople I\u2019ve worked with over the years readily admit that they are not comfortable calling on decision-makers, particularly if they happen to be a C-level executive. Which begs the question, \u201cHow do you expect to have a\u00a0successful sales strategy if you are not calling on the people authorized to buy your product or service?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

How\u00a0to Sell to Decision-Makers, C-level or Otherwise<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  1. Do your homework.<\/strong><\/a> Who are the potential buyers for your product or service? How do they buy? What are their levels of authority? What criteria do they use to make buy or no-buy decisions? Who do they consult with on major purchases? The biggest complaint I hear from executives is that the salespeople who call on them are not prepared. Be the exception, not the rule.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Have a goal in mind.<\/strong> Whether it\u2019s the first call or the final proposal presentation, have a desired outcome for each meeting and each stage of the sales cycle with the decision-maker and other key staff members.<\/li>\n
  3. Be a problem solver.<\/strong> Reverse roles and think like the decision-maker. What are they concerned about \u2013 sales, profits, market value, competitive advantage? How can you help them in these areas?<\/li>\n
  4. Net it out!<\/strong> Have an agenda, be brief, cover the high points of your proposal and stay on topic. If they want the details, they will ask. Never, ever run over your allotted meeting time, unless the decision-maker wants to keep going.<\/li>\n
  5. Follow up<\/a>.<\/strong> In order to cultivate the relationship, you have to stay the course, even if the decision-maker is not ready to buy. According to statistics, 80% of sales are made on the 5-12th contact.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Building relationships<\/a> with individual decision-makers can be a limited sales strategy due to the high turnover rates in these positions. However, if you are not selling directly to the person who can sign the check, you\u2019re selling yourself short.<\/p>\n

    Here are two quotes I refer to often when teaching the sales process to others:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    1. If you\u2019re not selling to the top, you\u2019ll end up on the bottom.<\/li>\n
    2. If you are not uncomfortable, you\u2019re not growing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      So, get uncomfortable! To learn more about selling to decision-makers, I would encourage you to read the following books:<\/strong><\/p>\n