Dan:

I'm frustrated with an account that I have been calling on for six months. I know that they are going to buy the services that I sell (technology services), but I just can't get anywhere with them. It's like banging my head against the wall. They won't return my calls and have not allowed me to get a true understanding of their needs. I hate to walk away and I'm not sure my manager would approve. Please give me some guidance as to how I should proceed.

Maura

Portland

Maura:

My experience tells me that we must change our strategy here. Just what strategy should we deploy? After all, we know that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Let me try to summarize what you are saying:

• You do not have a champion backing you.
• You do not have a coach assisting you. 
• You do not know who the key decision maker will be.
• You are not sure if the project is budgeted.
• You have not discovered the buying process and critical event date.
• You are unaware of your competition. 
• You believe that the client will buy technology services from someone (which makes be believe that he is working with your competition).
• You have not been allowed to assist the client with the definition of the problem or a potential solution.
• You do not have the critical answers to the BMPCC account qualification questions.
• You do not know the client's current or future needs.
• You are on the far left side of the Trust Triangle--you have no trust.
• You have continued on this path for six months.

In short, you are applying your scarce corporate and personal resources to an opportunity that is going nowhere. Even worse, let's say you somehow pull it off and win the deal. You run the risk that you really did not have the right long-term solution for them. You have plugged a round peg into a square hole, and as a result do a disservice to your client. Can you envision your client using social media to denounce your solution and company? 

If you input this information into the Sales Strategizer, it will apprise you that a Disengage Strategy is an appropriate approach given the circumstances. However, I rarely deploy a Disengage Strategy as a first option. Rather, I suggest that you seek an alternative approach to open up the lines of communication. For example, you could try to contact others in your client's company. You may also ask your manager or other executives in your company to contact the client. Sometimes all it takes is a different title to elicit a response.  

If you have truly tried everything and still come up empty, then I would deploy the Disengage Strategy and walk away.   

Let's review when and how to deploy the Disengage Strategy. 

WHY/WHEN TO DEPLOY

• when you cannot, despite repeated attempts, adequately qualify the opportunity (BMPCC) and uncover the client's current and future needs  
• when the client commits an "integrity violation" (requests kickback or other illegal violation)
• when you believe that your cost of sale outweighs the benefits of a potential win

HOW TO DEPLOY/EXAMPLES

You can disengage in a public or private fashion. In a public disengagement, you tell your client what you plan to do. You will, for instance, call your client to say that you will be withdrawing from consideration out of respect for their time and long-term satisfaction. Then you write and send a "disengage letter." This letter serves as one last attempt to improve communication and qualify the opportunity. Used correctly, this letter will help you  gain credibility and may even result in an invitation for you to reengage on a quid pro quo basis.

The letter looks like this:

"Dear Jane,

Thank you for asking us to bid on your project.

Based upon our perception of the level of interest ABC has in a thorough evaluation of our solutions, it is apparent that we have not earned the right to work with you on this project. Out of respect for your time and best interests we are withdrawing from consideration.

Though naturally disappointed that we will not be participating in this opportunity, we look forward to earning the right to work with you on your next project.

Please feel free to contact me if my team can be of any assistance to you during your design, installation and training process.

I wish you the best of luck as you begin the challenging and rewarding process of expanding your services.

Sincerely,

Dan"

In a private disengagement, your client is not informed of your disengage strategy. Use this strategy when you hope to win the deal by casually staying in the game. Call the client once a month to check in with him. This can feel disingenuous to you, so if you decide to disengage, I recommend going public with your strategy. 

WARNING!

It is important to remember that sales representatives who are "individual contributors" do not have authority to deploy the disengage strategy on their own. Their managers MUST approve the use of this strategy. Failure to obtain your manager/s support could be grounds for "special assignment."

Maura, if you do decide to disengage, please don't consider it a negative reflection on you or your company. Rest assured that 

that you have saved your company from wasting its resources on an dead-end opportunity. Now you can apply your personal resources to clients who truly value your time. Next time, you won't wait six months to use this strategy, right?

Best,