The Big One: Warning Signs

Unfortunately, there will be times when the deck is stacked against you, so watch for these warning signs.

• The customer requires complex pricing or an elaborate proposal, but refuses to engage in any real discussion about the opportunity, either face-to-face or on the phone.
• Prospects agree to meet, but it quickly becomes obvious that they’re just going through the motions—either so they can say they did their due diligence or to appease their boss—not because they’re honestly interested in a potential partnership with you as a vendor.
• The specifications have an obvious slant and you can tell they were written to benefit one particular vendor.

When you have concerns about the opportunity being a waste of time, you may want to push the matter and have a heart-to-heart talk with the prospect and ask, “Do we have a real opportunity to win this business?”