We have received many requests from companies wondering if it is a good idea to increase prices to offset declining sales during the pandemic. While the answer is generally no, it is important to recognize how buyers are changing their behavior and how the pandemic is causing disruption. So I thought it was wise to spend a few minutes reviewing the importance of understanding your distinct customer groups to bring clarity during economic chaos.
Topics: Pricing with Confidence, big data, value, pricing
Is your product a commodity? Is it really? Or, do your customers cry commodity during negotiations to get you to decrease your price? Watch the video below and listen as Adele McLean talks about how you can get out from under this tough negotiation tactic and avoid the commodity trap.
Topics: value, sales, procurement
The Buyer-Seller Gap is getting its share of press these days. Even HBR is in on the fun, having tabulated seven daunting reasons why salespeople can’t close the deal. It gets worse: only about 55% of us make quota. I wonder if accountants are as bombarded with data about how badly they perform.
Topics: Selling with Backbone, actionable insights, value, sales, value selling
When Holden Advisors started almost 2 decades ago, our practice was rooted in B2B pricing. Reed Holden, our founder, co-authored the book that became the industry’s standard academic and practical pricing reference.
Topics: value, b2b pricing, pricing
It was a tough conversation but in the end, it was simple and quite insightful. It started with a client pushing back on price. We responded that it was going to cost us a lot to get the job done. She came back saying it was a lot of money to support only a few people, especially when they had more to train. We realized that we could run the engagement with more people in the same session…same cost for us and better outcomes for the client. The client was happy and placed the order.
Topics: value
How many blog posts have you read that start with something like, “As a 20-year sales veteran, I’ve experienced …blah…blah…blah”? It’s amusing how sellers use tenure as a crutch for complacency. It sounds reasonable though, right? Why shouldn’t my performance speak for itself?
Topics: Negotiating with Backbone, value, sales
Imagine this: You’re selling your company’s best product. You’ve successfully navigated the gatekeeper to speak with your target buyer (the person who will actually use your product) and have shared enough of a compelling message that they’re willing to engage with you. You figured out that they have the budget to buy your product and have proposed a solution you know will help your buyer achieve their goals. Everything is progressing wonderfully and then your primary point of contact goes…silent.
Topics: customer loyalty, value, gatekeeper
For any salesperson, it’s important to understand why your customers keep coming back:
Topics: customer loyalty, customer experience, value, jump the shark, rolling stone, subscription