The Buying Paradigm & An Informed Recommendation

Pricing is a continuous question-based selling (QBS) conversation to understand the nature of their buying paradigm in order to make an informed recommendation congruent with it (contextual).

STEP 1: COAUTHOR THE BUYING PARADIGM/METHODOLOGY

From the nature of the need (aggressive, mid level, and introductory), budget guideposts and how they typically pilot new vendors, we shape the buying paradigm for the pilot.

STEP 2: TRANSLATE THE BUYING PARADIGM/METHODOLOGY TO A COAUTHORED PROPOSAL

We utilize need-based closing to coauthor the proposal with them rather than simply throwing numbers at them. The buying paradigm ultimately shapes the structure of the proposal.

The Window of Negotiation & Coauthoring the Buying Paradigm: Once we know they are moving forward we enter a window of negotiation. We should have gotten a need and characterization of the need for leverage. We then use this leverage to make a recommendation. “This is the max inventory, you cant spend more than this.” You may not always be able to use a need for the leverage, so sometimes you’re going to have to think of another reason why you’re recommending meaningful budgets. This could be something as simple as how people use the platform.

STEP 3: COAUTHOR ROI MODEL IF NEEDED

You can coauthor an ROI model here if they would like to evaluate a pilot in the context of a pro-forma return. The pilot structure used in the ROI model becomes the proposal and pilot structure.

STEP 4: GET FINAL APPROVAL AND SUBMIT FOR PURCHASE ORDER

Depending on the nature of the DM process within the organization, you are going to need to get final approval. Once this is approved, you can submit for a purchase order and then deliver it to the client.

THE PRE-QUALIFICATION CALL’S QBS STRUCTURE IS THE BEGINNING OF COAUTHORING THE BUYING PARADIGM:

Business as usual?

Growth mode?

How quantifies success?

Specific goal in that KPI?

Nature of that goal (aggressive, moderate or introductory)?

Is marketing budget there to support that type of goal?

Marketing KPI that drives that business KPI?

Pilot best practice is picking a level for the marketing KPI that is in alignment with the nature of the business goal (aggressive, moderate or introductory)

The answers to these questions will help you understand the buying paradigm of the client to then make an informed recommendation. An informed recommendation is one in which the need is translated to a solution level consistent with the characterization of the business goal/need. For example, if the business goal is aggressive or moderate, the solution should be aggressive or medium in alignment with that.