Desiderata

Defined as 'things you want and need', this could be a tad too ambiguous for many a solution seller. As a chasm can exist between the want and the need.

Yet should you enjoy the situationship with an inquisitive prospect, you could use the term to run through what may well propel them to decide, and in your favour.

And if any single desideratum outstrips all others.

Any self-respecting Enterprise salesperson will know to determine the decision making criteria. Both what's on the wish-list and how to rank them and their potential provision.

Even the most formal of specifications will contain hidden priorities, preferences and personal attachments which we're best uncovering.

There's plenty of options to help locate where these reside.

A classic general framework of the genre beloved by Sales Engineers for instance, being MoSCoW.

Beyond this point, there's a famous piece of prose with this title, from 1927. That includes these pair of thoughts relevant to our pursuit;

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

The former seems to get close to realising that those who follow the refinement of true sales process among us bring larger contribution and derive most pleasure.

With an added part of continued learning.

The latter finds not everyone feels and acts the way we do. Do we really want a customer that doesn't share in our collaborative win-win ethos? Likewise, how do we identify those that do as part of our bidding, and properly align with where they aim to be?

Gather those desiderata, gather those foundational clients.