Be a trusted advisor in the buying process

Daniel Huang shared great tips on becoming the trusted advisor everyone tells you to be, but often doesn’t explain how.

Step up your game

• Forget the fancy one-pagers: They’re too generic. CEOs don’t bite on just any bait.

Strategic questions to ask

• CEO’s interests: What’s on their radar?

• Waste of time: What’s not?

• Deal killers: What could nix the whole thing?

• Past purchases: How does the CEO like to buy?

Focus where it counts

• Key metrics: What can your solution bump up?

• Pain points: What longstanding issues can you tackle?

• Risk info: What might hold them back, and how have others pushed past?

Be more than a vendor

• Show how it’s done

  Share real-deal stories of how others made the CEO buy in.

• Build it together

  Consider crafting a custom pitch with your champion. Maybe get the CEO on a call?

• Touch base

  After laying out the plan, see what your champion thinks. Adjust as needed to fit their unique buying process.

Understanding vs. selling

Ian Barker recently shared some valuable tips on becoming a trusted advisor in his latest post.

1. Top reps get it

   People don’t want to be sold - they wanna be understood. Top reps listen hard to figure out what's really bugging their buyers before they even think about pitching.

2. Dig deeper

   Instead of showing off product specs, they hit buyers with smart questions that reveal the real challenges.

3. Value first

   They drop killer insights and freebies right off the bat, showing they’re here to help, not just hustle.

4. Customize

   Every chat's customized. They remember names, past convos, and fine-tune their pitch to match exactly what the buyer digs.

5. Careful follow-up

   After the talk, they’re back at it with personalized follow-ups that show they really get what the buyer needs.

A word from our sponsor:

Ready for a change?

Get Bill Becker's free book "The Job Nobody Dreams Of" and start shaping your sales career on your terms.