Qualify who is buying the solution

- If you want to sell solutions, you need to find solution buyers. And the truth is, not every potential client will value a solution sales process. Some people will buy on price alone and they won't appreciate the value of the solutions and expertise you offer. But you can usually recognize them right away because all they'll talk about is price or getting a deal. And unless you're ready to be the lowest cost provider, you ought to move on quickly because you won't win with these candidates. On the other hand, some potential clients will not be in a position to buy a solution from you because they aren't in a position to bring a solution into their business. That may be because of their level of authority, their job function or influence in the business. So it's your job to qualify the buyer and make sure you're selling to people who are in a position to say, yes. Focus your selling efforts on the right people. Qualify your buyer by asking a few questions upfront like who's responsible for this initiative? Or, who makes the decision about supplier relationships? If you feel uncomfortable with such a straightforward question, you can couch your questions with more information. For example, we always find it important to understand who is making decisions about this work so that we can hear from them about their objectives. Could you tell me who's making these decisions? Or, our solutions are designed to help you achieve better results with your marketing programs. Who's ultimately responsible for those results? The key here is your tone. It's not an interrogation. Ask in a conversational tone and you can often expect a clear answer. One of three things will happen. One, you'll learn that the person you're talking with is the buyer. If so, congratulations, this buyer qualifies as a legitimate prospect because they have decision-making authority. Two, your prospect tells you who the buyer is. Also good. You can ask a reasonable follow-up question like, what do you suggest is the best way to get in touch with her? Or would you and I be able to meet with him? Or, could you make an introduction for me? Remember, the goal is to meet with and provide your solutions to those in a position to actually buy them. And the third thing that could happen is that your question will be answered vaguely or is in the followup to number two, you'll learn who the buyer is but you'll be told you will not have access to that person. This is the most difficult position to be in. You can't access the person making the decision and now you have a decision to make. You can politely explain why it's important for you to meet with the buyer and try again saying something like, I understand she's very busy, but if we could talk for 30 minutes, that would be sufficient. Or, we found that even though you have a detailed description, there's always value in understanding the perspective of the final decision maker. And then asking again, is there an appropriate way make contact with her? It's critical to be respectful to the person you're talking with. Respectful, but not deferential. You're both professionals with a job to do. If you get blocked out, my suggestion is to gracefully move on and talk with someone else at the company who may be more receptive or you may just want to move on to another opportunity. Walking away is always the hardest thing to do but your efforts are better spent focusing on opportunities where you are selling to genuine decision-makers.