In the last 10 years, how many times have you been able to sell a system without it going to a committee? I don’t mean a few cameras, but a full system – maybe a new video platform or access control system that’s worth more than $10,000. Heck, even a managed services contract that might only be $300 per month… have you been able to run through the entire sales cycle with just the Security Manager or IT Director? The probability is pretty high that your sale had to be approved by multiple people – some that have nothing to do with security or IT.
One of the challenges that we’ve spent a lot of time on in the last 18 months or so is helping our clients navigate their accounts and prospects in a way that doesn’t burn bridges. Everyone wants to get to the decision-maker, but we can’t do so while alienating people along the way anymore. Not that it was ever a good idea to take that approach, but 15 years ago you could probably get away with it. Today, the decision-maker recruits a committee to help with the decision, and guess who is always on the committee – the people you alienated.
The Navigating Accounts challenge is a lot of fun because we provide tools and training our clients can use immediately, and I always see their faces light up during this session: “I wish we had this last month at xyz.” If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help you navigate your accounts and win more business, please click here.
