Have you ever had a sales opportunity that you thought was a slam dunk because you knew the boss? Even though your point of contact with whom you were working was a few rows down the organizational chart than your big-boss-friend, you had no doubt that the competition was wasting their time. Maybe you used your big boss card early and often – constantly dropping their name and copying on emails. Perhaps you took the opposite approach and didn’t contact them at all – knowing that they’d take care of you. Then, suddenly … you lose.
What happened? How in this universe could you have lost that sale? Many people utilize their high-level relationships in one of the two extreme ways described above. They either overplay their hand, threatening their point of contact and putting their big-boss-friend in an awkward position; or they play it too cool. There is a better way. Below are four best practices to winning sales opportunities when you have a relationship with the big boss but you’re working with someone else.
- Don’t mention your relationship early in the process. Once you divulge your friendship with the boss, your point of contact will react defensively, and their magnitude of emotion is greatest at the early stages. Get to know your point of contact. Convince them and the rest of the team that you’re the best option. Get them to want your solution. Once they want your solution, then learning about your relationship with the boss will relieve them.
- After the first meeting with the committee and point of contact, make sure your friend knows that you’re competing for the business. Be very clear that you don’t need their help and that your point of contact seems competent. The news will get back to the decision-making committee and your point of contact – which is why the first bullet is so critical.
- If things start to go poorly for you, use your friend card. Don’t be afraid to reach out directly and ask for help. Let them know that you don’t expect an unfair advantage, but … “fill in the blank”. Apply pressure in direct proportion to the significance of the opportunity and in indirect proportion to the significance of your relationship. In other words, act in a way that is comfortable to you.
- Never forward emails to or cc the big boss. Your friend could have the best intentions and may forward your email to the team asking why you’re not getting a fair shot (or whatever). Now you’re definitely done. I’m not sure how, but the committee will figure out a way to make sure you lose. If you really want to annoy them, cc your friend on emails.
I know this doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, you may have a huge sale and a friendship on the line … two pretty important items to protect. Use the best practices above to play it right, and you’ll be in a much better position to win.
