Every time you go to sell something, you try to influence someone. Often times, you are trying to influence someone 
to think like you do. And even more often, you are trying to get an organization to think like you or think like your organization thinks.
Such an Easy Job
Every organization has its own current issues and priorities, its own way of operating and its own structure. In our own organization we have a whole bunch of issues going on, it’s a mess. We are working on developing people, culture, and leadership. What we forget is at our customers’ place of work, they are doing the same thing. It’s probably a mess there too. Not only are we trying to influence them but them is a moving target, and we are a moving target. We have to be sensing and adapting throughout our entire selling process. So the objective becomes the ability to adapt and influence each other to arrive at a common outcome.
With this many different dynamics going on, no wonder sales is tough.
Our organizations come up with a strong value proposition. They list our features and benefits describing how they will benefit our customer. This value proposition has to be fluid if the above statements are true. If you can communicate how your idea solves a key organizational problem, supports important priorities, or speeds the way to achieving an important goal, you have a much better chance of success. It always easier to sell the idea that is aligned with their goals or desired outcomes. It has to be managed and delivered at the precise moment that it has become a burning issue or that hot button that coincides with the value proposition that we offer.
With this many different dynamics going on, no wonder sales is tough.
We must understand the customer’s organization structures and processes to make sure we develop an approach that aligns with the way the organization will make a decision. We have to recognize the culture we are selling into because there is a lot that happens that we do not recognize or are aware of and easy to interpret. We must know when, how and whom to approach. We must know the same things about the person and/or people we must approach. Timing is everything sometimes we have to move quickly and other times we have to wait.
With this many different dynamics going on, no wonder sales is tough.
You don’t get a sale because you have left a few important things out, and they turned out to be the most important ingredients.
The Failure of Sales in Such an Easy Job