In 2024, B2B sales pros understand the power of buyer collaboration:
- Reduced risk
- Fewer mistakes
- Faster conversion
And, ultimately, more deals in the “closed-won” column.
To break down buyer collaboration, Clari’s Tom Williams (Head of Clari Align) and Devin Reed (Head of Content) sat down for a chat with award-winning sales leader, Kevin “KD” Dorsey on a recent webinar.
Here are the four key stages of buyer collaboration they discussed.
Stage 1: Problem
Every sale starts with a problem. Common ones include:
- Costs are too high
- Customers aren’t happy
- Processes aren’t working
Whichever problem your prospect has is the centerpoint of your sales opening.
But too many reps rely on their interpretation of the problem. Not a mutual understanding.
If you aren’t 20/20 on the problem statement, you and the buyer will start moving in different directions. This will scuttle your sale.
Do this:
- Write down your understanding of the buyer's problem and get them to validate that you have captured it correctly.
- Quantify the cost of the problem if it remains unsolved. Create a shared vision of the status quo.
Stage 2: Solution
In your mind, the solution is obvious.
But what about your buyer?
Odds are, they’re considering:
- Fixing it themselves
- Finding another vendor
- Putting up with the problem
Collaboration means that the buyer and seller see the solution through the same lens, identifying one clear option to fill in the gaps.
Do this:
- Validate that the buyer actually wants your solution by directly asking them and getting confirmation. Don't assume they want it just because they said they like it.
- Have the buyer explain back to you how your solution will solve their specific problems. Convert the solution into their words.
- Understand why the buyer may want your solution without acting urgently. Reinforce the compelling event and "why change now."
Stage 3: Action Items
The reality:
You’ll never get across the finish line without your buyer.
You need them to:
- Champion the solution
- Address objections
- Build internal consensus
That’s why tools like mutual action plans and executive one-pagers are so important. These tools hold everyone accountable and keep the process moving forward.
Do this:
- Have a mutual action plan that lays out what both sides need to do and by when to move the deal forward. Make sure you get the buyer's agreement on their tasks.
- Create assets like executive one-pagers and FAQs to prep your champion for their internal presentation. Make it easy for your champion to remember key points.
- Hold the buyer accountable for their commitments in a friendly way. Confirm they will complete tasks and follow up if they don't.
- Frame lack of follow through as the buyer being "overwhelmed" rather than "lazy." Help them prioritize working with you.
Stage 4: Value
You’ve landed the sale.
Time to wrap up the collaboration, right?
Not according to the experts. You’ll miss an opportunity to:
- Deliver early value
- Score a thrilled customer
- Land a critical recommendation
Top reps know the value of continuing buyer collaboration through the onboarding process. They know early wins deliver long-term trust and repeat business.
Do this:
- Maintain transparency and meet expectations through rollout and adoption stages. Continue working together until the customer has concrete ROI.
- Clearly establish post-sales roles. Make sure it's clear who the account manager is and how responsibilities transition from sales to customer success.
- Set up quarterly or monthly reviews to discuss ROI realization, new use cases, user adoption levels, outstanding issues, etc. This shows you're invested in their success.
Ready to convert and close deals faster with buyer-seller collaboration?
Accelerate your sales cycle, build buyer trust, and prove undeniable value from day 1 with Clari Align. Start closing deals faster today with 5 full free licenses. Get unlimited collaborative workspaces to support an unlimited number of buyers, either standalone or integrated with CRM or the Clari Revenue Platform.