Marshmallow Selling

A wonderful six minute insight into team based activity. And one with two keen tip for solution sales practitioners.

1. How do you ‘prototype’?

If you think of prototyping in terms of checking the merits of what you propose often along the way, then this can reasonably be set next to Qualification.

I’m not talking about the oft-derided ‘trial close’ mentality. Rather, more tough-as-nails procedures that are skewed towards serious pressure points instead of justifying why you want to keep a deal on your forecast because it simply looks good or unbeknown to you, your prospect needs to provide a choice to their colleagues.

To us, our marshmallow is often wet ink smudged across pristine paperwork. If the first time you truly test your prospect’s position is with a “my pen or yours” moment, then you are unlikely to enjoy repeated success.

2. How do you reward?

What did you think about the part where Tom Wujec revealed that the introduction of a reward saw performance collapse? Not any old gimmick either, a whopping ten grand.

Shades of the famous Candle Problem, when additional financial focus reduced task completion effectiveness.

You’d have thought that what with the bulging bonuses paid to bankers with zero guarantee as to continued achievement we’d all be cottoning on to this by now.

Such counter-intuitive findings suggest it’s not all about the money. Even for Americans. So how else can you meaningfully incent and reward?