I read on social media recently that 74% of buyers choose a vendor that turns their vision into a clear path to value.  My gut feeling is that for non-transactional B2B sales environs, this feels about right.  If I were to be perspicacious enough, I would go a step further. Turning the buyer’s vision into a clear path to value is a tricky thing. I would say that the different between the high-flying Sales Pro and the sub-set is their ability to help create the vision for the buyer from the get-go.  Over time that vision needs to be moulded, through changing environs.  But this should not be an individual Sales Pro’s responsibility.  It should be embedded in the sales management system of the sales organisation.

At The Next Level, our experience aligns with some of the writings in the now seminal classic, “The Challenger Sale”. In many cases, the buyers themselves do not have a clear vision.  Or if they do, it is out-dated or poorly grounded.  The key is to know the market/industry/channel better than your buyer; to anticipate how it is going to change and to educate them on a better way to conduct their business … a better vision.  And with that, a clear path to value.

This is the heart and soul of a sales management system with a competitive advantage.