Partners in Excellence

OCTOBER 5, 2022

If our first engagement is participating in a buyer’s conference, where a RFP is issued, we are seriously disadvantaged. To develop the RFP, the customer is going through the same process every other buyer goes through. Buyers may go through a number of semiformal steps in developing their RFP.

Construction 52

Construction Influencer Buyer Conference 52

Sales Hacker

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

It places the burden for analyzing product functionality questions on the seller rather than the buyer. Sometimes a Request for Information (RFI) precedes the RFP. RFIs are less detailed, and are used to determine which suppliers the RFP should be sent to in the next step. The answers are then sent to all vendors or suppliers.

Proposal 92

Proposal Government Vendor Hiring 92

Sales Hacker

NOVEMBER 30, 2018

If the buyer is this far along their buying cycle, you’ve missed the opportunity to influence their thinking, and winning the deal is going to be a long shot. Many software and hi tech equipment manufacturers have a no bid policy for ‘blue bird’ RFIs and RFPs (i.e. Unfortunately, this type of ‘buyer’ can be a huge time sponge.

Commission 76

Commission Gatekeeper Decision Maker Face-to-face 76

The Science and Art of Selling

JULY 7, 2014

Buyer behavior has largely evolved in adaptation to the Internet and as a consequence they are more impatient and more elusive. But now, owing to increasingly sophisticated tracking technology for email and sales collateral, sales people can now readily control and monitor buyer behavior.

Collateral 59

Collateral Analytics Prospecting Proposal 59

Customer Centric Selling

OCTOBER 2, 2013

Pre-Internet it was likely that another vendor (Column A) had gotten traction and the buyer would leverage Columns B, C, D, etc. It was likely the buyer contacting vendors was not a Key Player. It is important that the buyer can realistically introduce a seller to Key Players.

Top of Funnel 61

Top of Funnel Training Lead Rank Lead Scoring 61

Customer Centric Selling

OCTOBER 30, 2013

The concept is to start buying cycles by telling buyers about leading edge approaches that are being or could be used in their industries. Crossing The Chasm and Inside The Tornado ) that describe at what point in product life cycles different buyers are likely to buy. Early market buyers "get it."

Training 49

Training Marketing Vendor Buying Cycle 49

Cincom Smart Selling

DECEMBER 10, 2015

Additionally, sales reps were still saddled with the burden of piecing together all of the product and performance information needs to respond to an RFI or to produce a professional-grade proposal. By example, CPQ systems are putting the expert from corporate into the sales rep’s brief case.

Wireless 54

Wireless Engineering Proposal Call-back 54