“Getting in early with the customer means being proactive, not reactive; generous, not selfish; relational, not transactional. It also propels your career and usefulness – even if you are not in selling – and gives you an unfair selling advantage.”
I’m told that by 4.30am you will find owners of business on the road with traffic nowhere in their sights, nor thoughts. By 5.30 am, MDs have driven to work, traffic free. The two get in early. From 6.30am FM radio stations are filled with calls from the rest, complaining about the bumper to bumper traffic. In selling, getting in early with the buyer avoids you ‘traffic’ too. Here’s what it means and how to achieve it.
1: Networking for Business-to-Business sellers.
For B2B sellers, your sales cycle is long. Getting to a close can take months, even years, depending on your product and industry. The key to winning in this space is getting in early. But “early” doesn’t mean when the tender is announced; it means being present during the decision-making or even design stage. It means interacting around the customer problem at its infancy.
For instance, if you are selling lifts, you want to connect with the architect while the building is still on the drawing board. This way, you gain the chance to understand his vision and what he wants the building to achieve. At this stage, you are not just selling; you are contributing—sharing research findings, data, or design options that help him achieve his goals.
This creates trust (“we’re in this together”) and often locks out the competition before they even know a project exists. And when the project finally goes to tender, chances are it will be based on the specifications you helped shape—giving you a very real, if not unfair (?), advantage.
Where to network
This is where networking plays a critical role. The more intentionally you build and nurture relationships in your industry—whether with architects, consultants, engineers, or decision-makers—the more likely you are to be invited into these early conversations.
So where can you network effectively? Well, you are spoilt for choice. There is industry associations and trade bodies:(e.g. Architectural Association) and sector-specific events, conferences and expos (e.g. ICT forums). There are also professional networking events (e.g. Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Clubs) and online communities (e.g. LinkedIn industry groups, webinars, and thought-leadership forums). You an also network in informal circles: (e.g. Golf Clubs).
Networking isn’t about collecting business cards; it’s about becoming a trusted presence in the right circles—whether that’s at industry expos or in relaxed settings like golf clubs, alumni associations, or charity fundraisers—so that when opportunities are still ideas, your name is already on the table.
2: Asking for referrals gives you an unfair selling advantage
The importance of referrals cannot be gainsaid. Regrettably, many sellers don’t treat it with the gravity it deserves. It’s not something you do when you feel like it. No. It’s something you do at any time you have shown value. Which doesn’t necessarily mean the buyer having bought. Prospects may give you referrals because they like you, even if they don’t buy from you. But you must ask that you may receive.
“Please refer me to an architect you teamed up with on your last project….”; or, when in the Principal’s office having discussed your child’s sterling performance, “Engineer Juma is working on the high rise building in Upperhill. From this photo (while pointing at it on the wall), I see you play football together. Please refer me to him….”
Or, if from the paraphernalia on her desk it is evident she’s a deeply religious person, and you’ve just sold her an account, “Please refer me to two other ladies in your prayer group…”.
The objective is to make it easy for the buyer to refer you by being specific with your request. It’s much easier for him to refer you to Eng. Juma than ‘an engineer.’ But don’t stop there; ask to be introduced right there; ‘Please call him and let him know I’ll be getting in touch”. That propels you deeper into getting in early with the buyer.
Like attracts like and chances are that the referral will be a prospect (not suspect) for your product. And statistics show that 33 to 50% of referrals convert. Done in committed fashion, imagine, what that means to your pipeline and therefore business.
Read: Ask for the sale if you expect to get it
3: Following up gives you an unfair selling advantage
Research says that 80% of sellers give in after the first attempt and only the 20% that follow through to the fourth usually close. Many sellers simply send the proposal, ask to confirm if it was received and then hope for the best.
Buyers are busy people and appreciate when follow-ups are done that seek to assist them with the decision making. Not by drumming on how your credit card has the lowest interest rate in the market, but how their impending debut stay in London will be made easier with a credit card as debit cards are not acceptable there, for instance. This means doing what most sellers don’t-wisely follow up and entrench self as an indispensable advisor.
Getting in early with the buyer gives you an unfair selling advantage; getting in early means being proactive, not reactive; generous, not selfish; relational, not transactional. It also propels your career and usefulness -even if you are not in Sales.
Read: How many follow-ups to close the sale?
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