09 November 2009 | Miller Heiman

If you could only ask one question of your sales team this week to move sales forward, ask this:

Are there buying influences who are trying to avoid a “lose?”

Proving  how your company’s solution helps to accomplish your customers’ goals is crucial to selling strategically. But identifying whether those decision makers are looking to avoid a specific loss can be equally helpful. Are they trying to avoid:

• Losing customers?
• Losing revenue?
• Losing credibility with investors/executives?

Position your product for a win-win sale by gathering as much information on both the organizational and personal motives of all relevant players.