INDUSTRY
The Industry will have an influence on the likelihood of whether a deal will close.
Every industry is different. If you don’t have experience with a particular industry you may not be able to understand the nuances of the terms that they use, you may not know how they buy (buyer process) and they might not be aligned to the value you bring.
For example if you are used to dealing with companies in a particular industry you will learn the dynamics of the sale. You will understand the unspoken signals that they give you as you engage with them. You will know what you can and cannot do! Try another industry and you may well find that what’s normal in one type of company may not be normal in others. When and how price is presented would be one obvious example of where these differences may surface.
Amplifying Factors Company Size Geographical Distance
Further reading :
RED – An industry you have no experience winning in. As every industry is different, one that is very different can catch you out with different expectations during the buying process and you may find it difficult to forecast the deal and move it forward. |
AMBER – An industry similar to one you frequently win in You will notice similar and often familiar aspects of your interactions but you might find some of the drivers are slightly different – for example, your brand awareness may be less and so competition will react differently. |
GREEN – An industry you have won in before A familiar type of company for you with a cadence and activity that you are used to winning in |
Mitigation – what to do?
Be prepared for questions and requests that you don’t normally get – for instance, you may be asked for security details or more details about your track record.
Consider slowing down and checking regularly if you are aligned to make sure that you don’t miss anything.
Don’t be surprised if different players are involved. The client may involve other people. This may be normal in their industry so you could neutralize this by involving the relevant people from your side as well.
Finally do consider if you should invest the time. This isn’t to say that you should walk if it’s different from normal, but map out their expectations early to ensure it’s worth the investment of your time and money.