Cause & Prompt Distinction

As you’ll probably know, I’m involved in ‘solution selling’.  Several traits identify such an environment, like having to justify what the offering will make or save the prospect, or guaranteeing it’ll provide a return on investment in nano-seconds.

Pretty much all of my customers (solution selling sales organisations themselves) grapple with how to trigger a buying cycle.  Leave it too late, and every man and his dog gets invited in, start too early and you could waste precious time on a stifled bid.

Reading one of my fave blogs (‘evanomics‘), I was heartened to discover wisdom that can help to earn that invaluable position as the person starting a campaign destined to complete, who ultimately gets to shape it their way.  The majority of deals you win, you probably instigate as first-mover.  (The rest you’re possibly last to come in at the death and sneak it.)

A “prompt” launches something that you might have expected to occur anyway at some point.

A “cause” brings something about that would not have otherwise happened.

I reckon that sharing this subtlety with potential buyers will:

• smooth their reticence to begin talks
• get to see you as prime deal mover
• morph a head-in-sand mentality, thinking the inevitable pending disaster won’t actually happen on their watch, towards one where they’re future-proofing

As surely, it is way better to generate the ‘prompt’ yourself, rather than fire-fight after the ’cause’ wreaks havoc, mister customer?