The New Power Base Selling: Master The Politics, Create Unexpected Value and Higher Margins, and Outsmart the Competition

Political Implications

Figure 7.7 populates your Support Base Map using our Ray Andrews example from earlier in this chapter. Suppose that a few months have passed; the original product that you sold to Ray’s company is performing well, and the customer is pleased. Now Ray is considering you for a new opportunity, involving another of your products. You have determined that Chris Dalghren is the Situational Fox and is currently a Non-Supporter in this particular deal. Ray Andrews is in Chris’s Power Base and is a Supporter. However, a customer individual named Tim Colby is also in Chris’s Power Base, but he supports your competitor, as shown by the triangle.

What does this tell you? That you must get to Chris before the competition does. And you can accomplish this by leveraging your relationship with Ray, who is in the Power Base. You will need him to sponsor you to Chris, who is the Fox. You will also need insight into what might be Chris’s Personal Motivator, along with her vision, direction, and priorities for the group. You want Chris to become your Supporter before the competition can get to her.

Now, put yourself in the competition’s shoes; what would you do if you were them? You would take the same approach, but with Tim. Since he is in the Power Base, he by definition has access to Chris as well. If you and your competitor are taking the same approach, what will enable you to build relative superiority ahead of your competitor? Our deal experience highlights two factors ...