What vs How: Selling to Buyers Who Lead From a Non-Authoritative Position
Have you ever been in a situation where the contact you have a relationship with wants to hire you, but he/she is not in a position to do so directly? I've been in this situation myself many times.
When you come across it - be thankful. It provides a great opportunity for you to practice client-centric thinking and doing (and of course, distinguish yourself in the process).
Here's how: Remember that client-centric thinking is about leading with client's agenda, and then aligining it with yours. So, if your client's agenda is to bring you in, but they need to manoever through the labyrinth of their organization to do so, then that becomes your strategy (not the selling of your services).
Read that again, it's a subtle difference. Your strategy becomes helping your contact advance his/her agenda (bringing you in/giving you work) rather than pitching your services. I call it the 'Jerry McGuire' or 'help me help you' approach. Your objective is to help them achieve theirs. Period.
Of course, inherent in this approach (as with all other approaches I write and teach about) is agreement. When you know your contact wants to give you a shot, you have agreement.
There really is no better place you can be, except well, getting the mandate.
Tactics related to this strategy have more to do with your people skills than with your technical professional skills. And they have everything to do with active listening and responding accordingly.
So, how good are your people skills? What about active listening? Check out next week's Blog entry on Active Listening.
And ... just remember the rule of Client-Centric Thinking and you'll be fine: When you lead with your client's agenda, you will be able to hear it and respond to it.
I wish you good business success!
Catherine Mitchell
Client-Centric Selling with the Agreement Based Sales® Program and the LEAP Adult Learning® System.