In Great Demo! Workshops we
often note that customers will be willing to live (for a long time!) with the
problems they face, but are motivated to address these problems when the
problems put a goal or objective at risk.
Accordingly, the best way to define a Critical Business Issue is in
terms of quarterly, annual, or project-based goals or objectives that are at
risk. These are what often drive people
to make a change (and buy some software).
However, many sales teams
have a hard time distinguishing between Problem level issues and Critical
Business Issues – and too often, they list the former as the latter (which can
then contribute to a “No Decision” outcome).
To help differentiate between
the two, ask, “How is this person measured? How does he/she know, at the
end of the year, that he/she has been a success?” The answer often is a Critical
Business Issue for that person.
Contributing to the confusion
is the fact that most people operate
at the Problem level and only think in terms of Critical Business Issues when
gently pushed… Here’s an example (and
good practice for working with real prospects):
Ask a sales person at your
company, “What’s the biggest challenge you face in your job today?”
Most sales people will likely
respond with something like, “Well, I don’t have enough good leads – and I’m
spending too much time on administrative stuff…”
That answer is at the Problem
level – not a Critical Business Issue…
You then say, “Mm-hmm,
mm-hmm… Tell me, how are you measured? How do you know at the end
of the quarter or year that you have been a success?”
The sales person realizes,
“Oh, yeah – if I make quota…!”
That’s the
Critical Business Issue. Which is more
important and valuable to this sales person:
getting enough leads/less admin stuff, or making his numbers? (I’d say the latter). Which would cause him to take action –
worrying about too few leads or realizing that he is waaaaay below quota as he
moves into the last month of the quarter?
I’d say the latter, again!
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