Hacking Sales

Chapter 13Navigating the Buying Process and Closing the Deal

There are many steps and actions that go into closing a deal. So, congratulations on getting this far, but the reality is you're just getting started.

There's a lot of information out there on the strategy of navigating the buying process, which over the years hasn't changed all that much. Buying and procurement processes are still relatively similar year after year at the large, dinosaur-like corporations.

Before we get into the tools you'll need to better close deals, let's dive into some of the strategies from two people who are all-stars in this process and have worked on very important deals in the past. I'll tell you about more resources on this topic in Chapter 16.

John Barrows, leading sales trainer for some of the top business-to-business (B2B), software as a service (SaaS) companies, provides us with top strategies on the rules of negotiating, how to create equality in negotiations, and why you shouldn't jump to discounting.

Rules of Negotiating

1. Rule of Reciprocity: People have a natural inclination to repay debts.
2. Conditioning: Nothing comes free. Make sure to give and get.
3. Know what to ask and when.
4. Follow good protocols for pre- and postconversations: Nail down a time prior to conversations, and make sure all decision makers are able to join. Be sure to send summaries to follow.
5. Objective health measurement: Stay aware of the health of your accounts so that you know which ones need nurturing and which ...