Selling Is More Difficult Than Ever (But You Can Do It)

Does it feel like it is more difficult than ever to sell? That’s because it is more difficult than ever. But you can do it.

It’s More Difficult Getting In

Your dream client contacts are busier than they have ever been. They have been asked to do more with fewer resources. And they have been asked to produce greater financial results. Even contacts very low in the organization now have responsibility for a line on their company’s profit and loss report.

Your dream client contacts simply don’t have time to spend with anyone that doesn’t have a concrete plan to help them produce better business results. You are only going to be allowed in if you can create value.

If you work very hard at it, you can create enough value to get in. But you have to work at it.

That’s only half of the problem of getting in.

You used to know where to get in. It was easy to find a sponsor and identify the person with authority. Because so many companies are now buying based on the consensus of their team, it can be hard to determine where to come in and who you really you need. In some cases, decisions are being made at a higher level, with approval required for even relatively small purchases. In other cases, decisions are being made by consensus very low in the organization.

The one-size-fits-all approach to value creation and single best entry point no longer work. You have to be more flexible, more creative.

You can find your way, but you are going to have work at finding the path.

It’s More Difficult Creating Value

It’s more difficult than ever to create value for your dream clients. Even though you have products, services, and solutions that can improve their business results, you rub up against your client’s constraints.

How familiar is this? You could help your client get the result that they want, but they can’t make the necessary investment to get that result. It’s difficult to overcome your client’s constraints.

It’s also difficult to create a higher level of value. It’s difficult to get to the level where you are your client’s strategic partner. You have to spend a lot of time thinking about how to help, and you have to be proactive.

You can get to strategic. In fact, your clients need you to get there. But you are going to have to do the work.

It’s More Difficult Owning Outcomes

The days of selling something, having it delivered, and then moving on to the next sale ended a long time ago for those of us in business-to-business sales. If you sell something, you own the outcome that you sold, and you are going to be expected to ensure that the outcome is obtained.

Your client expects to you the own outcome. You can do it, but you are going to have sell inside your own company, and you have to help your own company deal with their constraints. You are going to have to help your team execute.

You can do it, but you are going to have to lead. And you are going to have to bring your A-game.

Questions

What’s changed about selling that makes it more difficult now?

What do you have to do to effectively deal with these changes?

What do you have to do to ensure you succeed in sales now?

Why is it more difficult to get in?

Why is it more difficult to create value?

Why is it more difficult to own the outcomes you sell?