The pitch went like clockwork, the prospect was ready to go, and the only thing standing in the way was “how much?”
Then everything went south, fast. The agency president, thinking he was the best qualified to negotiate walked into the meeting ready for bear, only to walk into a bear trap. The president was talking money, the client was talking results. The president was talking relationships, the client only wanted results. The negotiations lasted several months – with both parties getting more and more frustrated. In the end, the agency lost a great account. All due to not understanding personality types.
A classic example of just how important chemistry and understanding negotiation can be. The next agency that walked in did a fast close and won the account in 48 hours. They kept their eye on results – and the client was more then willing to pay for it. But this is not the only example.
The Best Presentation Doesn’t Always Win.
I was working with an agency invited to pitch for a large regional bank. We profiled the members of the agency selection committee correctly, designed a pitch in step with their needs and their personalities and won the presentation. We had figured the winning agency would be chosen on the basis of most points win. In the pitch we showed a scorecard and actually graded our presentation for the committee. They loved it and told us we had won. But the bank chairman, not involved in the search, later gave the account to his good friend at another agency. The search committee was embarrassed and incensed. Four years later, when the chairman retired, the current agency was fired and the agency that had won four years earlier was awarded the business without a review. The new chairman, who had been on the selection committee, still had his presentation notebook and the nice engraved pen we had recommended the agency give to the committee members to sign the contract. Sweet revenge.
The Power of Understanding Personality Types.
Learn how to use Personality Profiling as a way to help you select your best new business winning strategy. Selecting the correct profiling strategy is the key to winning a client. It’s all about the timing and what makes a prospect most comfortable. What builds trust. You are not trying to win over a corporation; you are trying to win over a person who has likes and dislikes on how he or she prefers to receive information and make decisions. If you understand their personality profile you will win.
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