$1M Deals 🍋 Why You’re Losing a Year of Your Life – and the Client Still Says “No”? | Sales Mates Podcast #98

💸 Friends, hello!

In Episode 98 of the Sales Mates Podcast, we dive into the “major league” of sales – working with big businesses and corporations. Why is hunting for a single decision-maker a path to failure? In reality, behind every contract there’s a whole group of people – and each of them has their own interests and fears.

📌 In this episode:

00:00 – Intro

02:26 – How is an enterprise deal different from a standard one?

07:24 – Gartner stats: 5 to 11 stakeholders involved in a contract

08:36 – Why corporate managers hate change and new tools

11:19 – Golden rule: every call = a new contact

12:13 – Why deals fall apart after a year of work

17:51 – How internal hierarchy works and “earning points” with the boss

24:12 – How Procurement and Finance squeeze payment terms

24:43 – Technical compliance: legacy servers and extra costs

27:48 – How to sell to different roles (CEOs don’t care about features)

33:25 – Dress code in enterprise sales

36:17 – Ageism in corporations: young talent vs “old-school” people

37:33 – Insight: 86% of the time, the client discusses the deal without you

Summary

In this episode, we discuss the key aspects of enterprise sales – including the importance of understanding the client’s internal politics, working with multiple stakeholders, and the role of champions and sponsors in the sales process. We also cover bureaucracy, process delays, and why secured funding is critical to closing deals successfully.

The conversation focuses on working with enterprise clients: vendor selection, legal and financial considerations, growth potential, communication across different departments, risks and how to manage them, and the importance of reputation and ongoing learning in sales.

Takeaways

• Finding a single decision-maker isn’t enough – you need to work with a buying group.

• Big deals often get lost because of the client’s internal politics.

• Complex contracts require involvement from multiple stakeholders.

• Change is often perceived as a threat inside large organizations.

• Champions can open doors and help you move the deal forward.

• Bureaucracy can significantly slow down the sales process.

• Budget/funding is critical to closing an enterprise deal.

• Every stakeholder has their own goals, interests, and concerns.

• You must communicate with everyone involved in the process.

• Securing executive sponsors can speed up the sales cycle.

• Vendor selection in enterprise is a make-or-break factor.

• Legal and financial requirements can strongly impact cooperation.

• Enterprise clients can offer strong long-term growth potential.

• Cross-department communication is key to success.

• Risks in enterprise deals can be significant – and must be actively managed.

• Company reputation and credibility matter in enterprise sales.

• Continuous learning and skill development are necessary to succeed in sales.

• Different departments are triggered by different priorities – understand what matters to each.

• The overall impression of your company can influence the client’s final decision.

• Always learn from the best in your field.

Hosts: Anton Fedulov and Oleksii Sinichenko.

Practical advice from two successful sales leaders who share the secrets behind their results, personal experience, and strategies – plus interesting guests and funny everyday sales stories.

Watch and listen online on our Sales Mates Podcast YouTube channel.

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