So now we arrive at the point where the influencer will ask you to pre- pare a proposal. This is your cue—the moment at which you must take action. You have two choices here: You can either agree to this request, which is what your competitors will do, or you can suggest an alter- native approach. Since you have no business providing a proposal to someone who does not make the buying decision, let’s take a look at a better, alternative plan of action.
Step 1: Change the Subject
It is worth noting that in any conversation, the person asking the ques- tions controls the conversation. So, at the time that the influencer asks you for a proposal, he or she is in a position of control. This situation needs to change. You need to temporarily assume control of the dis- cussion by asking a question of your own—one that will move the dis- cussion, for now, off this topic. Rather, at this point in the meeting, you should return the conversation back to your conceptual presen- tation—a review of ways in which your firm might provide value.
Simply say the following: “If we set the proposal issue aside for the moment, how do you feel at this point about my company’s overall ability to meet your needs?”
This is the perfect question at this juncture. The influencer will respond to it with a statement such as, “So far, I like what I have seen.” His or her response to the question, as long as it is not negative, is unimportant. What is important is that as of this moment you are no longer discussing your submitting a proposal to the influencer. You are now discussing value rather than the price of producing that value. You have, in effect, changed the subject.
With this issue addressed, you now move the conversation in a com- pletely different direction. Your next task is to identify the target group—the inner circle—that actually will be making the vendor selection decision.
Step 2: Identify the Members of
the Inner Circle
Your choice of words is critical when you ask what can be perceived as a sensitive question. Remember that your “gatekeeper” here is risk- averse. If he or she feels threatened by any of your questions—or if you are too direct in asking them—he or she is less likely to cooperate with
you. Simply asking who will be making the decision therefore is not the best approach in addressing this delicate subject.
To bring up the issue of the inner circle, present the question to the influencer in this manner: “In selecting a vendor for this project, what does your process normally entail, and who else besides you will have a role in that process?”
In most cases, the influencer will respond by rattling off titles— “Our vice president of operations, our marketing manager, etc.” Once the influencer completes the title list, he or she usually will provide more information if asked for it. You need more information. Follow up the first question by now requesting names:
• “And who is your vice president of operations?” • “And your marketing manager?”
• “And your plant engineer?”
Finish up this portion of the discussion by asking one final ques- tion: “Which of these people has final ownership of the decision?”
This person is your trigger.
PREDATOR POINT
Knowing the titles of the inner circle members is not sufficient. Knowing “who” means knowing names.
I once had the opportunity to ask this question during an initial meeting with the trigger present. In this case, during the phone inquiry, I had asked my influencer for—and was immediately granted—an audience with the inner circle for my very first meeting. After presenting my agenda, I asked two questions.
First: “Is there anyone else involved in your decision process who is not present today?”
No, there was not.
Second: “Who here has final ownership authority for your decision?” Six fingers immediately pointed to a woman sitting directly across from me. With this knowledge in hand, rest assured that I paid special attention to everything that she said during the course of the meeting. In short order, I won the account.
Step 3: Asking for Access
Once you know who is involved in your buying decision, you will need to provide a sound reason for obtaining a meeting with them. Remember what I said earlier: Your strategy with the influencer is one of collaboration, not evasion. Except in special circumstances, which I will review later in this chapter, you will not be well served by an attempt to go around the influencer to reach the other people. You want to partner with your influencer. To accomplish this objective, present the request for access as follows:
It has been my experience that these other people will have different questions and concerns with regard to my firm’s capabilities.
With this in mind, as a next step, I would like to request a second meeting to include yourself and these other people prior to my sub- mitting a proposal. At that time, I will review what you and I have dis- cussed, answer any further questions that they may have, and make sure that I completely understand everyone’s concerns.
This will ensure that my recommendations are the best possible fit for your company’s requirements.
Can you assist me in getting this meeting scheduled?
Obviously, you are going to get one of two outcomes to this request—“Yes” or “No.” If you follow this material to the letter, you
can expect to be given the access you seek, initially, about 50 percent of the time—and with practice and the conviction that comes from knowing that this is in both your and the other party’s best interest, you can expect your success rate to “top out” at 65 to 70 percent.
This still means that a healthy number of influencers are not going to allow you the access you need. So what? Get over it. You cannot dictate the influencer’s reaction to the request, so you do not control that variable. You are always going to have people who say no to you, irrespective of how skillfully you may have handled these steps.
Your job is to execute the steps properly. If you do this, enough of your influencers will say “Yes” to make the ones who say “No” a non- factor in your overall success. However, you do need a fall-back strat- egy for handling “No,” and I will discuss how to do that in a moment. First, let’s consider what you can control, which in this case means what to do when your influencer says “Yes.”
Step 4: Moving the Process Forward
When you get a “Yes” to the request for access, you must take a lead- ership role—immediately—and outline for your influencer how to make this next step happen. Take charge of the situation by saying the following:
Great. As a next step, let me give you several dates that will work for my return visit; check with your group and let me know which of these options will work best for everyone. [Provide three different dates and times.]
Following our next meeting, I will return to my office and prepare a customized proposal that will reflect everyone’s input on what your company is requiring for your decision, and finally, after my proposal is completed, we will schedule a third and final meeting, at which time I will make a group presentation.
This will sound like an excellent suggestion to your influencer, because your plan of action makes perfect sense. You are also making this entire process easy for him or her by organizing the steps to make it happen. Also note the term group presentation as it is used here. Your presentation meeting, to come later, will be with all the mem- bers of the inner circle. You have “bundled” a group presentation request into your presented plan, and it is being approved with the rest of the agenda. This single factor virtually guarantees your selection, for reasons that will be explained later.
PREDATOR POINT
Take a leadership role in moving the process to a next step. This makes it easy for your influencer to say “yes”.
Step 5: The E-mail Introduction
Once you have approval to proceed, ask the influencer for the e-mail addresses of the inner circle members, and explain to the influencer that you would like to send a brief e-letter of introduction to each per- son after the second meeting has been scheduled. Then, once the meeting is formally on the calendar, e-mail each inner circle mem- ber. Thank them for their willingness to meet with you, and ask them to reply with any specific issues that they would like to discuss in the upcoming group meeting. Do this step about 48 hours before the scheduled discussion. It is a shrewd, professional touch that sets the tone for a productive session later.