Leaders Purchase Intentionally

No, this is not a picture of a technology conference with 100's of potential business partners lined up to solve all your problems - but it's close. It's a picture of the Arab Souk, a 100-acre bazaar, in Jerusalem. Here, customers can find necessities and nice-to-haves. They find variety in quality. They have to be careful not to spend too much in one place so they can meet all their needs. Finally, negotiation is expected. (So... maybe it is more like a technology conference than we care to admit.)

If you're an emerging technology buyer or analyst, remember these basic lessons from the bazaar.

• Know what you need to buy and what you don't. (Ex. align purchases to framework.)
• Only consider nice-to-haves once necessities are complete.
• Critically evaluate quality - not just features, include support and ease of use.
• Work with your leadership to develop a negotiation strategy.

What are your tips and tricks? Or, what would you like to know? Let me know below.