I recently had a conversation with a client (an MR agency) who was describing a recent selling opportunity that came their way. They were asked by a large healthcare system to meet. Great news, right? But rather than being asked to deliver a full-blown pitch presentation, the buyer’s team and the agency’s team just sat around the table… and talked! No PowerPoint. No handouts. Just… talking.
I love this!
Think about it… it makes perfect sense. Why stand in front of a prospective client to pitch your company and the services you offer? They already know what you do… They’ve been to your website. They’ve downloaded your white papers and case studies. They’ve scrolled through your LinkedIn profile.
Well, this buyer had other ideas; they were in search of an understanding around two things:
- How does this agency think? And they explored this simply by asking a lot of questions during the chat. They wanted to get a sense of how this agency would approach different challenges during a project. Very smart.
- And maybe the more important question they wanted answered… How’s my chemistry with this agency? Do we click? Can our teams work together? More simply, do we like them?
I think this is great! Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes… If we’re looking for a long-term research partner, let’s find the one we get along with the best. All well-established research firms will do a good job with the research itself, but will my team mesh with them? Will we be able to work with them long-term, to achieve our objectives? And maybe even enjoy the experience?
I equate this a bit to hiring a new employee. Lots of candidates can do the job, but smart employers look for the one that’s the best fit. That you and your team can get along with. That will work well in your culture.
Will this ‘friendly chat’ strategy replace the traditional pitch presentation? It will, if the buyers are smart! And if they are, will you be ready?
Good luck and good selling.