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Six Greatest Ideas for Selling Big Ticket Items - Business to Business • 89

Basis of decision

Establishing the basis of decision is said by many to be the key technique separating
the solution seller from the product salesperson or box shifter. It involves under-
standing from the customer's point of view all the issues surrounding the sale.

Have you agreed with the key people their criteria for deciding to go ahead?
Ask and keep asking, so that by the time it comes to making your proposal you can
put it in their terms, not only from the business case point of view, but also for all
the key issues that surround the buying decision and the implementation.

Have you influenced this?
Try to get the customer to agree from his point of view the reasons why he will buy.
This is much more powerful selling than just hitting them with features and benefits.

The difference is between the following two statements:

• Aren't the people in the warehouse going to prefer to keep the same shelf layout even
when the new system comes along? and

• If you buy the system I am selling you will not have to change the shelf layout.

The first is seeking to agree a criterion for decision making. The second is simply a
statement of a feature.

In the end, of course, the basis of decision that includes a feature or issue that is
unique to one of the selling companies tilts the balance firmly in their favour.

Implementation practicality

Assess how well you are organised to ensure an efficient implementation. Examine
the resource requirement that will result in a successful project from both sides'
point of view.