When To Say “Bye” To An Opportunity ~The Disengage Strategy~

Dan:

I'm frustrated with an account that I have been calling on for six months. I know that they are going to buy the services that I sell (technology services), but I just can't get anywhere with them. It's like banging my head against the wall. They won't return my calls and have not allowed me to get a true understanding of their needs. I hate to walk away and I'm not sure my manager would approve. Please give me some guidance as to how I should proceed.

Maura

Portland

Maura:

Great question. All sales representatives face this situation. Sales Superstars know when to cut their losses. They also realize that there are times when you can win when you think you are losing. They realize how and when to use a Major Opportunity Strategy called the Disengage Strategy.

Let me try to summarize what you are saying:

• You do not have a champion backing you.
• You do not have a coach assisting you.?
• You do not know who the key decision maker will be.
• You are not sure if the project is budgeted.
• You have not discovered the buying process and critical event date.
• You are unaware of your competition.?
• You believe that the client will buy technology services from someone (which makes me believe that he is working with your competition).
• You have not been allowed to assist the client with the definition of the problem, their needs, or a potential solution.
• You do not have the critical answers to the BMPCC account qualification questions.
• You are on the far left side of the Trust Triangle--you have no trust.
• You have continued on this path for six months.

In short, you are applying your scarce corporate and personal resources to an opportunity that is going nowhere. Even worse, let's say you somehow pull it off and win the deal. You run the risk that you really did not have the right long-term solution for your clients. You have plugged a round peg into a square hole, and as a result do a disservice to your client. Can you envision your client using social media to denounce your solution and company??

If you input this information into the Sales Strategizer, it will apprise you that a Disengage Strategy is one acceptable strategy given the circumstances.

Here are the situations when Superstars use the Disengage Strategy:

1.? Integrity Violation. Your client does something illegal or immoral (example: side letters or a kick-back scheme).

2.? Cost. You believe that your cost of sale outweighs the benefits of a potential win.

3.? No Solution. You do not offer a solution which will drive success for the customer--it is a square peg, round hole.

4.? No Communication. You cannot, despite repeated attempts, meet with key decision makers and stakeholders to permit you to conduct proper discovery (BMPCC) and properly qualify (Diagnostic Tool) the opportunity.?

5.? Close Minded Key Decision Makers. Decision makers are close-minded, and the effort needed to get them open-minded is too difficult and/or time consuming. How do we tell if the key decision makers are close-minded to your offering? In this case it appears to be obvious given the lack of communication. If you had enjoyed a conversation with this client you might have asked, “What information could you hear from others which would change your opinion?" or "Are you open to thinking differently?” If the answer is “nothing” and “no”, then you know you are in trouble. At this point, you would have to decide whether alternative strategies such as Changing the Game or Changing the Decision Maker/Decision Criteria might save your sale. If not, you and your manager might agree to disengage.

If you make that tough decision, you will call your client to say that you will be withdrawing from consideration out of respect for their time and long-term satisfaction. Then you write and send a "Disengage Letter." This letter serves as one last attempt to improve communication and qualify the opportunity. Used correctly, this letter will help you gain credibility and may even result in an invitation for you to reengage on a quid pro quo basis. The letter looks like this:

"Dear Jane,

Thank you for asking us to work with you on your _____ project.

Based upon our perception of the level of interest ABC has in a thorough evaluation of our solutions, it is apparent that we have not earned the right to work with you on this project. Out of respect for your time and best interests we are withdrawing from consideration.

Though naturally disappointed that we will not be participating in this opportunity, we look forward to earning the right to work with you on your next project.

Please feel free to contact me if my team can be of any assistance to you during your design, installation and training process.?

I wish you the best of luck as you begin the challenging and rewarding process of expanding your _____ services.

Sincerely,

Dan"

WARNING!

It is important to remember that sales representatives who are "individual contributors" do not have authority to deploy the disengage strategy on their own. Their managers MUST approve the use of this strategy as it may have long-term implications for relationships with this client. Failure to obtain your manager's support could be grounds for "special assignment."

Maura, if you do decide to disengage, please don't consider it a negative reflection on you or your company. Rest assured that?you have saved your company from wasting its resources on an dead-end opportunity. Now you can apply your personal resources to clients who truly value your time. Next time use the Trust Triangle Selling tools (Sales Strategizer App, BMPCC & Diagnostic Tool) and methodology to more quickly determine if you should be spending your scarce resources with this client. Remember: Losing fast is not failure -- it's an efficient strategy.

Good Selling,