When you attempt to make an appointment as a way to ‘get in front of’ a prospect, you are throwing away approximately 40% of good prospects:  they don’t know why to meet with you, regardless of whether or not they have a need. You will get rejected by approximately 90% of those you call for an appointment. Here’s why.

The full decision team is not present:  Whoever will touch the final solution must be involved with any change that might occur should they buy anything at all. When you visit the 10% of prospects willing to meet with you, do you know how many of the ultimate Buying Decision Team are present or what weight these folks meeting with you have on the Buying Decision Team? Are they meeting with you because they are already meeting with your competition and you’re automatically in a price competition? Are they merely representatives of the Team? Do they represent the full set of criteria necessary for change?

Your data will not be delivered accurately: Speaking with a partial Team puts you out of control, as those present must translate your message to the others not at the meeting. What percent of your presentation will they express accurately? Will they convey your data to the right people? Does this small group recognize the cost of not buying?

A need cannot be understood unless all who will touch the solution adds criteria: Even if you do get the appointment, you will lose business because ‘finding a need’ and presenting your solution are premature. Until everyone who will touch the final solution adds their criteria for change, and the prospects knows what change and disruption elements must be accounted for, they cannot know their full set of ‘needs’. Trying to understand needs before this occurs merely gives a seller a very partial picture that will not necessarily apply when the entire set of buyers or stakeholders are present.

It’s possible to enable the assembly of the full Buying Decision Team before you visit so you can present to them all, and acquire the full set of buying decision criteria as you help them determine how to facilitate change. Add Buying Facilitation® to your sales model and use it with sales, marketing, and social before you try to get an appointment.

To discuss how to facilitate prospects in assembling their full Buying Decision Teams so they will all be present when you visit, contact Sharon Drew at sharondrew@sharondrewmorgen.com. For more articles, see www.buyingfacilitation.com