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Life Health > Running Your Business

Simplify Your Next Deal

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I write a lot about the complex sale, but not every deal you face is complex or complicated. Some are really pretty simple. Here is a simple framework you can use to think about those deals.

 Who do you need and who needs you? One simple way to evaluate and think about an opportunity is to start with the question “Who do I need to win this deal?” Just making a list of the people you need to win a deal can guide your efforts in developing the right relationships.

Another—better—way is to ask the question “Who needs me?” Who are the contacts associated with your dream client who need your help? Who is struggling with the challenges that you can help them overcome? Starting with the “who” is a great way to identify, open and win an opportunity, even a simple one.

What do they need and how do you create value? Now that you have identified the contacts you need (and those who also need you), you can start to identify what they actually need. What results do your dream prospects need that they aren’t presently getting? What product, service or solution will help them achieve those results? When you meet with your dream prospects, you can develop better answers to these questions.

But the most important question to follow up with is “How do I create value around this need?” How does what you do to create value align with what your dream prospect needs? If it doesn’t align, then they aren’t your dream prospects after all. If the value you can create does line up, you can develop a solution and start presenting it.

Why do they need it and why are you the right choice? If you want a compelling reason for your dream client to buy, you need to understand why they need what they need. There is an old saying in sales: “People don’t buy drills. They buy holes.” It’s true; if people could have the holes without buying the drill, they would.

The question you need to ask is “Why do my dream prospects need what they need?” Want the fastest way to this answer? Ask them why they need what they need; they’ll tell you. Ask the question three or four times in a row and you will come to an answer (such as increased revenue, increased profit or reduced costs). Ask what these goals do for your dream prospect and you’ll know their personal motivation.

If you want to know how to win, ask yourself the hard question “What makes me the right choice?” If you can’t easily answer that question (and if you’re honest, it’s one of the toughest questions in business), then try this one: “What could I do to make me the very best choice?” It’s a tough question, isn’t it? Here is one more question you can try: “Who do I have to be to become the very best choice?”

It’s a simple framework for simple deals, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy!

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Anthony Iannarino is the managing director of B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, a boutique sales coaching and consulting company, and an adjunct faculty member at Capital University’s School of Management and Leadership. For more information, so go http://thesalesblog.com/s-anthony-iannarino/


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