Lately my entire profession life keeps shrinking things down to small easy to understand things. I can’t really tell if this is a blessing or a curse. Seems that really complex people can understand what I teach and people who are… well less complex or even starting their career can understand.

Deal With It

One of my complex things that strikes people in a positive way is my mantra, “deal with it or it will deal with you.” This is my simple way or giving both advice, encouragement and a friendly warning. Deal with it can mean a lot of things but the one that reps continue to get wrong is the modern-day buying process.

Modern Day Buying Process

 Just like salespeople have been trained to sell, people buying have been trained too. I am sure there are a seminars or weeks in Vegas that will teach buyers to buy but the buyers I am referring to are not the professional buyers but the day in – day out people that we encounter that have created their own way of buying that is mostly conditioned to keep them from risk and the sharp tongue of a skilled salesperson. Chief among the new tools of a modern-day buying process is what I like to call the “gang approach”. This approach is triggered by a leader that doesn’t want (or maybe can’t) to make the decision on their own even though they have told you that they will be making the decision on their own. In my business I have labeled this “The Law of 4-6”.

The Law!

I have created The Law of 4 – 6 to teach the idea that there are four to six decision makers in the business. Sometimes this may represent a committee that has been commissioned by a leadership team or a department where the leader wants everyone to “weigh in on the decision” or (I have been involved with this) it can be the entire company where the owners wants to know what everyone thinks. The problem comes when the rep engages one person who says they will make the final decision. This could be the leader that started the 4 – 6 or it could be a member of the 4 – 6 that has commission themselves, but the outcome is if you are talking to one person you greatly run the risk of the others killing the idea. It has been my experience that if you leave the appointed leader to their own devices they will either be unable or unwilling to convey the benefits of your offering leaving the rest of the group of 3 – 5 only one option which is to say… No thanks. Now, they won’t say “no thanks” because they have been improperly schooled they will say things like, “There are other projects that need our attention… It’s not the right time… We don’t have the budget…”

Listen!

At the sound of my writing… all who are reading these words. If you don’t deal with The Law of 4 – 6 it will deal with you. We are very fortunate as salespeople to be able to pick and choose who we work with. If you disagree with that last statement, my reaction would be that you need to look at your prospecting techniques. We are not victims and subject to random conditions. We have the most proactive job on the planet… use that gift.

Want to know more? Buy My Books!

To buy the book – The Argument to Automate – How Innovation Can INSPIRE Not Fire – click here to buy

(Also) To get your copy of The 8 Pitfalls of Accounts Payable Automation – click here to buy

How about a children’s book? The Princess and the Paper – click here to buy

About The Author:

Christopher Elmore has written 8 books, countless articles, lectures at UNC – Charlotte and travels around the country speaking on on the topics of startup success, sales, presentation skills, change, entrepreneurship, accounts payable and payment automation. Having deep startup and entrepreneurial experience, Christopher was one of the six people that started AvidXchange in 2000 and continues to work in the business today. If you hire Christopher to speak or teach at your company or event… you won’t be sorry! Request a media kit or contact us for more information.