Test yourselves:<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are a sales person, or someone who has access to the sales pipeline of your firm, select the top six opportunities in the pipeline.\u00a0 For each of these opportunities list the top four to six criteria, in decreasing order of importance, that the customer will use to decide what to buy – or even if to buy at all.<\/p>\n

When we use this exercise in our training programs, the stunned and embarrassed faces in the crowd are something to see.<\/p>\n

Not too long ago, we were working with a client sales person on his pipeline.\u00a0 He was proudly sharing page after page of opportunity strategy worksheets.\u00a0 On every sheet the decision criteria, a section we strongly encourage sales people to document and use in formulating strategies and action plans, were exactly the same.<\/p>\n

I had to ask how that could be \u2013 and if that was truly what the customers were telling him.\u00a0 If it were so, it would have been the most incredibly homogeneous market I had ever seen.<\/p>\n

He replied, \u201cNo, the customers didn\u2019t tell me those criteria.\u00a0 I know how my customers make their decisions.\u00a0 I don’t have to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was this response arrogance?\u00a0 Laziness?\u00a0 Fear of asking? Lack of belief that decision criteria expressed by the customer is relevant?\u00a0 Whatever the reason, this poor sales person embarrassed himself in front of his peers and management?<\/p>\n

Phrasing the question effectively<\/span><\/p>\n

Much of the value that sales people receive from sales training is in learning key phrases and techniques for asking tough questions.\u00a0 These questions might be about funding availability, decision-making power, the competitive situation, gaining access to other folks involved in the decision, or, in this case the decision criteria.<\/p>\n

One of the common traps sales people fall into with respect to understanding decision criteria is assuming that while they are talking with the customer,\u00a0decision criteria are naturally being revealed in the normal course of conversation.\u00a0 Sometimes they are.\u00a0 Sometimes they aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n

The safe stance is to assume that they aren’t revealed.\u00a0\u00a0So, here are some questions to assist in revealing the real decision criteria:<\/p>\n

Assuming you are not the exclusive decision maker, would you feel comfortable sharing what you believe other members of the committee are concerned about and would use in selecting the final solution?<\/em><\/p>\n

If you feel uncomfortable speaking for them, what benefit do you think there might be in gathering the decision makers and influencers to work through and collect all the decision criteria and perspectives?<\/em><\/p>\n

Have they compiled their concerns, needs and preferences in any sort of document?<\/em><\/p>\n

Is there a vendor\u2019s guide that would help assure that we will meet or exceed all your criteria?<\/em><\/p>\n

Of course, there is always the option of asking directly, \u201cWhat are the decision criteria\u201d?<\/p>\n

In reality, based on the responses of the hosts of sales people attending our training programs, that last question is rarely used.\u00a0 The more common scenario is that sales people believe that they know everything about the customer\u2019s decision process simply by having had a discussion.<\/p>\n

A final check\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if\u00a0you haven\u2019t broached the subject of decision criteria directly, and believe you know enough from the conversation, it is helpful to run through the following routine to review what you understand the criteria to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for taking the time with me, Paul.\u00a0 Before we break up here, would you mind if I spent just a moment to confirm that I understand the criteria you will be using to make your decision.\u00a0 Here\u2019s what I inferred from the conversation. (Re-cap here).<\/p>\n

When you finish, ask, \u201cIs there anything I missed?\u00a0 Is there anyone else that we need to speak with who might have additional criteria?\u201d.<\/p>\n

Explicit, Implicit and Hidden Criteria<\/span><\/p>\n

If you follow that dialogue you get only explicit criteria.\u00a0 It\u2019s certainly better than not knowing anything \u2013 but it\u2019s incomplete.<\/p>\n

Implicit and hidden criteria are best revealed through keen observation.\u00a0 While much is said in sales literature about listening skills, keen observation skills are equally, if not more important.<\/p>\n

Observing and noting the physical surroundings, the personalities of the buyers, the organizational and political situation in the customer\u2019s firm, the personal ambitions of the buyers and body language can reveal approaches which meet implicit and hidden criteria.\u00a0\u00a0If the office is highly organized and neat, so should be your proposal, your meetings, your presentations and your communications.\u00a0 If the customer works in teams, package your offering as a team effort.\u00a0 Implicit and hidden criteria \/ requirements can be met at the sub-conscious, as well as the conscious behavioral level.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind what Yogi Berra is purported to have said,<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see an awful lot just by observing\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

A\u00a0final point:<\/span><\/p>\n

In the hands of the skilled sales person, dialogue and observation must work closely together to identify customer buying criteria.\u00a0 The more the criteria are understood the higher the probability of winning and the lower the risk of losing to an apparently inferior offering.\u00a0 .<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n