Ian Altman discusses common mistakes in long-term sales engagements, emphasizing that sellers often focus on price concessions rather than mutual benefits. He highlights that longer engagements can attract more stable, permanent talent, benefiting both parties. Altman suggests presenting long-term deals as mutually beneficial, incorporating flexibility with rolling termination clauses. He shares a client success story where 90% of short-term clients eventually extended engagements. Altman advises sellers to align with clients' interests, reduce administrative burdens, and lock in pricing to ensure better outcomes and less hassle.

Biggest Mistakes

• Relying on outdated systems and methodologies.
• Not utilizing available real-time information from customers.
• Falling back on old procedures instead of embracing new technologies.
• Not implementing systems that provide real-time information to customers.

Best Practices

• Using technology like AI to save time and learn from others' experiences.
• Providing real-time information to customers, similar to Uber and Amazon.
• Implementing AI systems to help customers get answers faster.
• Using AI to tailor content to customer needs and improve information over time.