10 Key Selling Attributes To Win

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stacked round gold-colored coins on white surface
As I moved from roles focused on software delivery to leadership focused on new customer engagements/sales/management these are some of the key leanings. 
 
I start with thought process of "what is my value proposition"?? Value is calculated as benefits perceived from the program after the price to get to the solution. Also, sometimes intangible positions like having a team with institutional knowledge of the client being known for being a leader in implementing that software product helps.

Value = Benefits - Price

Example - What are the benefits of doing a mobile strategy going native vs responsive?

10 Key Selling Attributes

#1 Understand the purchasing decision - Business / What they sell / Latest analyst reports / Key leaders messages in media or intranet

#2 Understand the decision makers

#3 We lose blind RFPs - Specially with new clients where I had minimum insight into people, organization and key drivers for the RFP - Specially when procurement is the front-end for all the questions instead of the decision makers

#4 Explicit demonstration of global commitment

#5 Don’t over scope - Don’t breathe your own exhaust

#6 Price to win - don’t be delusional about the market

#7 Refine and validate our key assumptions

#8 Have direct conversation with the client

#9 Expectations at an existing client will be greater 

#10 Know who the competition is, counter the competition and target them.

Gotcha's - Not committing to the concept of “must win” - can be perceived as passive not interested. People lose work by "Not understanding what to ask  or asking passively or too much talking to ourselves".

I will conclude my thoughts with this .... there is always a people aspect to selling so its important to map key client attributes to help navigate the conversations - Safety/Sympathy/Self Confidence / Pride or Cost Savings / Technology Improvement / Process Improvement / Competitiveness or Innovation / Efficiency / Reliability / Performance or Career / Power / Image ....


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