We all know that closing deals in the current climate is a tough uphill climb.

One of my long standing coaching clients recently made the observation that just trying to close on anything at the moment “feels like nailing jelly to the wall”.

Recognise that feeling?

Here’s what my client meant:

1. You have been working on a deal for the best part of 2020;

2. You are aligned with what the client organisation wants;

3. You have been chosen as the preferred vendor;

4. Everything's starting to fall into place and closing the deal now rests on successful negotiation;

BUT...

5. The Economic Buyer (the person with the power to actually close out the deal, as opposed to your personal Champion) has lost their job;

NOW...

6. You’re faced with a new Economic Buyer with whom your Champion doesn't have an established relationship;

SO…

7. The Champion is worried about his position;

AND…

8. As a result, the deal is on hold.

I’m seeing this happening a lot right now. Where previously the Champion would have been looking to close the deal, to enhance their career and make them look like a star and shine, they are now in retraction mode. Your Champion has disappeared within themselves and is sitting tight.

There is nothing worse than a deal that is just sat there… waiting...

What do you do next?

See this friction as an opportunity for you to:

● Engage;

● Actively get more curious;

● Focus on how you can collaborate with your Champion more effectively;

● De-risk the situation.

You started by thinking big in the first place; by visualising success for all, so now look to find a way to win and to confidently disrupt.

This is the time to ask yourself these questions:

● How do I adapt?

● How do I move forward?

● How do I move this deal to the next level?

When you know the answers to these questions, you can build your strategy to confidently disrupt the customer’s restrictive thinking.

If you missed my article on how to create multiple winners in Enterprise sales, click here to read it now.

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If you’re looking to take your career seriously as we round off 2020 and enter 2021, get in touch with me: [email protected]