We're interviewing several companies objection

I was told that if you find out that the potential client will be interviewing more than one company that I should ask to be the last to present.

This sounds kind of risky. I mean, what if the guy before me seals the deal?

If you were in this position what would you do?

Originally Posted by bridger480 I was told that if you find out that the potential client will be interviewing more than one company that I should ask to be the last to present. This sounds kind of risky. I mean, what if the guy before me seals the deal? If you were in this position what would you do?

First to present is the desirable position.

If your prospect is really interviewing several firms, they may have to get a few quotes or something. So, the odds are that they won't make a final decision until all the interviews are over. I'd find out what the situation is.

If the final decision won't be made until after all the intereviews, I'd want to be last. You then get the last word. Your presentation is the one that is uppermost in their minds.

And, the really great thing about it is that you have the opportunity to answer any issues raised by your competitors. Of course, you have to ask a question like: How does this approach compare to the others you have reviewed?

Then, with luck, the customer will say something like: well, I like your ideas, but XYZ company does carry blue widgets and you dont.

Then, you can explain that if they need blue widgets, you will keep a special order stock just for this customer.

Assuming all that is true, of course. But, I've had several situations where I was the last presenter and was able to uncover and address issues raised by competitors.

It doesn't mean you aren't doing a good presentation. Often it just means that the RFP the customer wrote was not as clear as it could have been. Or, that the customer came up with a new requirement while talking to the competitors. Or that your competitor said "We are the ONLY company who can offer you this service" and it's not true.

If you're last, you are in a much better position to shine, IMO

Kathleen

You summed that up quite nicely Kathleen.

Kathleen what you said is very close to what I was told except for the not making a final decision until the interviews were over and the part about things changing from the first guy to the last.

I like the idea of going first but last week a lady told me she wasn't going to hire the first company she talked to and we didn't get the deal. That made me wonder what the other people were saying like you said.

I haven't had alot of people tell me that they are talking to others so maybe I'm just overreacting but $500 is $500 right?

Have to run. Thanks.

You always want to proceed in a competitive sales situation as if the competition's selling skills are as strong or stronger than your own--even if you know differently. That is true whether you are a novice or a seasoned pro. If the competition is weak and you get the sale easily, there are large residual benefits to winning a sale in overwhelming fashion.

We don't always have a choice of in-what-order we will present. Keep in mind that buyers have a tendency to invite their first choices first, even when requesting several proposals.

If there is a choice, I want to be first in. My objective, after ascertaining the needs and requirements, is to place an invulnerable offer on the table.

An invulnerable offer is one that will not be beaten by its own shortcomings.

Assuming there are not circumstances that I have absolutely no control over, the people who make presentations after me, in order to win the sale, must do so with an alternative offer which is also invulnerable. That can be a little harder to do--but not necessarily.

Buyers prefer alternatives over choices. What that means is, they would rather consider (A or B) than (A or B or C or D...etc.) A or B represents alternatives which means between two.

In almost all cases, the field will be narrowed to two as the presentations and offers progress. Once that happens, those last in line must construct an offer that is invulnerable, creative--and that represents a new alternative which lumps the previous proposals together.

The creative offer can win the sale, but it is more difficult to construct it. In addition, being last in line, the purchaser, unless he/she is disenchanted with the previous offers, will generally not give as much attention. The process driven buying pattern gives way to the task driven pattern. What starts out as process driven, even under a bureaucratic environment, eventually becomes task driven. That is a key factor in competitive situations.

Obviously, I've studied it. I've been A, B, C, D, and last over the course of thousands of these situations. I've compared notes with others who have been successful at this. We've drawn conclusions that say that, although you can't guarantee winning the sale, if you work with invulnerable offers, your percentages are greater by being first, and are slightly diminished down the order--and-- when last among several, it is more difficult.

People who are new to selling would be among those who have trouble grasping what I said--and it's understandable, of course. It took me a long time to understand the concept of the invulnerable offer in sales.

Thanks Gary for sharing your experiences. Every little bit helps.

I've never been in biz to biz sales. Only direct in home selling. Yet from time to time I get the same objection. More often than not I handle it, regardless of the order I'm in. And I really have no particular preference where I am at in the order. What I have found to be true is that if you conduct yourself in a professional manner, and you are knowlegable about your product, other offerings in your industy, mindful of your clients needs, and they trust you. They will buy. No one really likes to take the time to sit through several presentations. It's more of I have to be a good consumer and do my homework to protect my money or my company's money. I believe consultive type selling overcomes this particular objection most of the time.

The order in which you present is irrelevant. When a prospect is interviewing several different suppliers, the seller needs to find out what is most important to the prospect.

Find out:

• what dangers/obstacles they need to overcome
• what their biggest opportunities to capture are
• what their greatest strengths are
• where they see themselves 3 years down the road

If you can get answers to all four of the above questions, you will have made progress in developing a trusting relationship because only then can you truly create value.

-Terri

Originally Posted by bridger480 I was told that if you find out that the potential client will be interviewing more than one company that I should ask to be the last to present. This sounds kind of risky. I mean, what if the guy before me seals the deal? If you were in this position what would you do?

If it is corporate sales I would want to be last. People feel obligated more to the company to listen to all the presentations. There for you have the best chance at being remembered and you can ask what the others have said and show how your product/service is better.

If it is consumer sales such as Real Estate, I would prefer to go first. The sellers of a home really are not obligated to anyone how many agents they should talk to. They just are searching to find the right one. If you can be the right one first and handle the objection that they already have other appointments then you can close the deal then and there. Plus do you really think they enjoy the interview process? Most people have better things to do with their time than to talk to sales people. If I was last in a Real Estate listing presentation. I would just have to assume that the deal was mine to lose, because the others did not have a very strong presentation.

These are generalizations and there are exceptions and I do offer money back guarantees for those who paid for my analysis.