One of the most important questions to ask yourself before you start working on a deal is, who’s zone is it in: yours or your competitors’, or is the business up for grabs?
Basically, every deal is in one of three zones: your zone, a competitor’s zone, or open business that is up for grabs. Typically, fifteen percent or so of business is in your zone, meaning it’s yours to lose. Most likely, your competitor’s zone is similar in size to yours. However, you cannot win there, so you shouldn’t even try. The remaining deals, representing the lion’s share of business, should be hotly contested because there is a path for you to win them. All you have to do is figure it out before your competition.
In your zone is a natural combination of human chemistry, business synergy, and technical fit between you and the customer. This is your “sweet spot.” Heavy Hitters (Truly Great Salespeople) know their sweet spot inside and out. One might say, for example, “My sweet spot is packaged-goods companies with $250 to $400 million in annual revenues where the key decision maker is a gregarious fifty-five-year-old former factory worker who rose through the ranks and is now on a mission to increase plant efficiency.” The more specifically, you can describe your zone, the better off you are.
Your competitor has a sweet spot as well, and it may be quite close to or far away from your zone. Continuing the example from above, the competitor’s zone might be billion-dollar-revenue packaged-goods companies where the key decision maker is an introverted forty-five-year-old who has an extensive financial background.
So, what is your zone? Where are you strong and where are you weak? Equally important, ask these same two questions about your competitor before you decide to work on an account.
Minimize mistakes when working on a deal in your zone. Apply your strengths against the competition’s weakness in open accounts. Stay out of deals in the competitor’s zone. Salespeople who willingly compete on the enemy’s terrain are only fooling themselves. Sales managers who mandate that salespeople go after accounts deep in the competition’s zone are just plain foolish.
I’m very excited to tell you about the fifth volume of the “Heavy Hitter” series of books for senior salespeople. I’ll be sharing more information in future posts. The book will be available this fall and click here to preorder a copy from Amazon.
Heavy Hitter I.T. Sales Strategy
Competitive Insights from Interviews with 1,000+ Key Information Technology Decision Makers and Top Technology Salespeople
Influence the Hidden Organizational Politics That Impact Decision Making
