Pop Quiz — Are these buyers ready to buy?
Let’s just hang out here in the canoe at Meech Lake a little longer.
Now that you have the hang of paddling, it is quite enjoyable! ; ) I’m even letting you steer!
(But, no, I’m not going to let you co-drive when we get back to the car and the driver! *_* Not quite yet.)
Here on the west end of the lake there is a really nice quiet spot. No cottages. We’re just going to drift while we talk.
I’ve been thinking more and more about how I can help you observe your buyer’s behaviour.
It is SO critical.
At this point in our trip we have talked about Ideal Customers, Drivers, Change, Problems, the 5 buyer behaviours to observe, and more.
So I’m going to tell you about some buyers and their behaviour and I want YOU to put everything you have learned together and tell ME whether you think that buyer will buy, or not.
Ready for this little game? The loser gets pushed out of the canoe. : )
Jill the Startup CEO: is this buyer ready to buy?
Jill knew my work and had tasted a bit of it at a workshop. She was notoriously cheap. But one day she emailed me and said she needed a new website and could I give her a proposal right now. She wanted my help. I provided the proposal. In the next email, she didn’t comment on the proposal and asked if maybe I could be on her Board of Advisors.
Question: Is Jill going to buy?
Answer: No. Jill is not an Ideal Customer (she is notoriously cheap). She is an erratic Driver — wants a proposal now, changes speed, gets off the highway onto another highway (from proposal to invitation to be an advisor for free). There is no evidence of the Change that is driving the request. The Problem is not critical — is a website critical when you are a startup looking for sales and investment? Not really.
Ted the Sea Captain CEO: is this buyer ready to buy?
I noticed that Ted, a former client, had received $250,000 from BDC to fund international business development. I reached out and asked if I could help. He responded in 2 days, apologized for the delay, and set up a meeting for the next couple of days with his VP of Sales and Marketing.
Question: Is Ted going to buy?
Answer: Yes. Ted is an Ideal Customer (former customer where the engagement was very successful and built them a $35 million pipeline). The Driver has the right title for my business and he does the right thing — he’s prompt, invites the right stakeholders to a meeting. The Change is funding. The Problem — international business development — is critical, especially if a large investor is breathing down your neck looking for results.
Cliff the Services-Company-Turning-to-Product-Company VP Sales: is this buyer ready to buy?
The Chairman of the Board invited me to talk to the CEO, Joanne, and VP Sales, Cliff. They run a 25-year-old services company that is trying to sell a software product. Their sales are VERY LOW and the VP Sales is under pressure from the CEO and the Board to make progress faster. He has requested outside help to do that.
Question: Is Cliff going to buy?
Answer: Maybe … Yes. Fits my Ideal Customer. The Driver for my business is usually NEVER the VP Sales so this was iffy. (They usually can’t admit they have a Problem.) There is a Change, though, pressure from the board. The Problem is definitely Impact and potentially Do or Die for him. I did get the business.
One more ...
Jennifer the Marcom Manager for a Tech Company: is this buyer ready to buy?
Jennifer met me at one of my workshops. Thanked me for changing her life. (True story.) And called me a few months later saying there was a lot of Change in the sales organization, people fired, lack of strategy, and that the new VP Sales was looking for a consultant to help. She wanted to work with me on a proposal but she didn’t want to take me to meet the VP Sales.
Question: Is Jennifer going to buy?
Answer: No. No. Nope. Ideal Customer? Yes. Change? Yes. Is the Problem critical? Yes. Driver — not the right title, didn’t have influence, wouldn’t take me to the VP Sales (still not the right title) who would have hopefully taken me to the CEO. Didn’t get the business.
How did you do?????
Is it making sense to you?
We’ll do this again. You’ll get it.
That’s all for today.
Thanks for keeping the canoe from bumping into the rocks around the island. (My father built it for me so if it gets damaged I’ll likely lose my inheritance. Careful!!!!!)