Enterprise sellers may look healthy, be in great shape, be fun to interact with, show amazing forecasts at the beginning of the quarter but sometimes despite the great look, they find reasons why their deals didn’t close on time. They may show signs and symptoms that prove they need an in-dept MEDDIC training and workshop.
If you or your team members are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you need to drop everything and enroll in a full MEDDIC workshop and training now.
1. Your prospect claims they no longer have the budget to purchase.
Sounds familiar? Deal is in the “commit” forecast for the 2nd quarter in a row, prospect sends you an email saying “Unfortunately we’ll need to postpone the project to next year, since the budget allocated for this project is no longer available”. You consider this is a legitimate case where nothing can be done. If there’s no budget, then they can’t buy, right? So you take it off the forecast and move it to the pipeline for next year. You love working on long term deals, and building the pipeline for the future.
2. Opportunities on your forecast get delayed from one quarter to another.
You are in a deal review session with your sales manager and share the news; prospect sends you an email saying “Unfortunately we’ll need to postpone the project to next year. This project is not a priority right now.”. You dig in with the prospect and find out that their CRM project is taking all the resources in the IT teams. You understand you can’t do anything. If there are no resources allocated, then they can’t run a POC, etc., right? So you take it off the forecast and move it to the pipeline until the prospect is ready to act. You are excited that you are building your next year pipeline.
3. Your so-called Champion explains why the Economic Buyer never meets with vendors.
Your sales manager wanted you to obtain a meeting with the EB. You asked your “champion”. He/she replied that he/she can meet with the sales manager but that the EB never meets with the vendors. Since it appears to be a rule at this company, you share the information with your sales manager and respectfully explain it’s not going to be possible at this account which is on your forecast. You enjoy the transparent communication with your sales manager.
4. Your Prospect changes decision criteria, reducing your chances to win.
You are selling a SaaS CRM solution, competing with an on-premises offer. Although the prospect was only looking for SaaS architectures at the beginning, they inform you that they have changed their mind and they now consider on-premises solutions can also be used; they state that on-premises architecture presents some benefits in terms of Security. You think that’s a legitimate observation and since they are still considering the SaaS model as acceptable, then no reason to object or worry. You are happy that the prospect is moving forward with the project. You put the champagne in the fridge.
5. You learn that you have to run another POC before getting the order.
After running the POC, the prospect mentions some aspects have been omitted in the POC and you need to run another one. You talk to your Sales Engineer and Consultants and prepare them for another POC. You feel good since it will make your case stronger when it will be shown to the decision makers. You are more confident about this deal in your forecast.
6. Prospects’ Buyer or Legal exec refuses to sign your terms & conditions.
You have been working on this deal for a year now, we are a week away from the end of the fiscal year and the you are checking emails waiting for your PO. That’s when you receive a call from your “champion” informing you that they are preparing a PO with their General Procurement Terms they use with all vendors and won’t be signing your license agreement. This symptom is usually accompanied with high fever and above-normal blood pressure.
7. Prospects Buyer asks for 40% discount because they are a big name.
They say they have the choice between two possible vendors and that the other vendor has made an attractive offer. Your solution now requires 40% discount to be considered for purchase. You are excited to have brought the deal this far and to hopefully be the one who will sign this “big name”. The discount appears high to you but hey if your sales management wants the deal they have to accept it, no? You invite your significant other to dinner to celebrate the progress at the customer.
8. You believe saying YES to every request from your prospect is the key to success.
You are proud of your business background and have been raised with the saying “Customer is always right”. So if the prospect or customer is asking something your company can’t deliver then it’s not your fault. You feel as being a very positive and contributing member of the company and decide to send the prospect’s requests to marketing and a few more people in management as something the company needs to solve in order to address your market. You also expect congratulations in return.
9. You have taken the free “Introduction to MEDDIC” course and consider you learned MEDDIC.
You learned all about MEDDIC. It’s done. Over! Just another sales methodology. You are proud to know what MEDDIC stands for. It’s not that bad but most of it doesn’t apply to your business anyway. Now let’s get back to the good old habits.
If you are an individual contributor and are experiencing the above symptoms or similar ones you need to first take the full MEDDPICC course and then the workshop, either in-person or live online.
If you are a sales manager and see these symptoms in your team members, make sure you invite us at your upcoming Sales Kick Off and let us help you build a solid team and boost your numbers.
You can’t afford the status quo.
It’s costing you too much
Stay healthy! Enjoy your Sunday!