Getting Consensus Without Angering Your Buyer | Sales Strategies

For the last few videos, I’ve been talking about client retention and expanding your network within your client accounts. From this, the response I always get is, “Colleen, I don’t want to be behind my client’s back because they might get angry with me and my relationship with them would erode.”

You have got to stop thinking with this mindset. It’s not about going around your clients, it’s about you showing them how building other relationships inside their account is in their best interest as well. I’m not telling you to go about this secretly.

[bctt tweet=”You need to leverage your current relationships with your clients to build more contacts.” username=”EngageColleen”]

There is an easy way to do this. Take a blank organizational chart to a meeting with your primary contact and say, “In order for me to help serve you, it’s good for me to get to know the broader organization. So let’s work together to see who else is affected by our solution.” Then, start to build out the chart with their permission.

It’s critical that you ask your contacts questions like, “Who would be your backup should you be on vacation or sick? Who is the power user of our product? Who is placing the orders? Who is paying the bill? Who else is affected by this solution?”

These types of questions will help you build out your network with your primary contact, not against them.

3 responses to “Getting Consensus Without Angering Your Buyer | Sales Strategies”

  1. Hi Colleen, I watched your video, and will certainly be adopting that strategy. However, there is another situation that arises that I would appreciate your help on navigating. There are many times when I’ve made contact with a senior leader/decision maker, and they have instructed me “to work through so and so, as she/he is the project lead.” Therefore, I could use some suggestions on how to stay in contact with or how/when to re-engage that decision maker when things slow down with the contact person.
    Thanks, Blair

  2. Colleen
    Another non-threatening way of widening your contacts, is by asking the buyer, what are thr other key people are involved in the decision making process? I just want to thank them by for their business.

  3. The easiest way to do this is to say “Thanks, I’m happy to speak with XYZ about the project and suggest that you and circle back after our discussion to ensure we are in alignment”. That way you always have permission to call your primary decision maker.

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