Selling to the boss, assisted by HIPO
You may have experienced that you have to sell to the boss, the entrepreneur, but that she/he/them is assisted by a young high potential (HIPO) with an MBA diploma and a few more degrees.
Usually recruited for a future management position and already involved as a junior in cross-departmental projects. In this way they quickly gain influence as a junior.
The type who doesn't say anything during your visit but registers every word accurately (on the laptop)
and when you leave they will be asked for an opinion.
The danger with HIPOs is that they are indeed intelligent and quickly understand what you want to sell.
Their logical status quo brain is more than average developed: that is why they could score well in school and they are what we call smart.
As a result, they quickly recognize the value of an idea or solution and you therefore have less time to address the change brain (which really ensures that the customer buys).
Their opinion is formed too quickly.
We don't get in anymore, we can't punch a hole in their consciousness. We are blocked in the "funnel" because the customer has to think about our proposition it all the time. ("call me back later"). The customer is in a thinking loop.
You can also have that feeling with experienced buyers who have experience with your company or your competitors. They quickly control the purchase process ("send me an offer") and go straight into analytical mode. They listen with an Excel.
You just don't sell if your prospects are in the Status quo brain: they are in analytical mode - Cold Cognition.
====> We want IGNITION. The change engine must first be set in motion.
IGNITION: are we infectious enough? Are we actually triggering the change brain?
As long as that doesn't happen, you don't sell and probably never again, because in selling you'll never get a second chance.
There are different options and they are different for every seller and type of market, customers:
you can quickly give high level info when they ask detailed questions and take back control (analysis comes later)
you going to 'contrast' the idea that you want to sell with what they already know? That makes them curious. Then you can create an opening to the change brain.
You refer to an event, a story so that the focus is no longer on them or on you: that is what we can achieve through so-called: bring the Customer into new territory. Where a new common vision is created.
We will come back on it in the next workshop - strategy session.
Succes in selling!
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