This list originally came from a colleague who won 99% of her new business presentations. When I asked why she was so successful, she said there were always three questions she asked herself to decide if the new business opportunity was legitimate. If she couldn’t answer yes, she didn’t pursue it.
Of course, there’s many other aspects to consider, but as a first set of questions, there are hard to beat.
1. Is the opportunity real?
- Can we identify a real business need, a specific set of goals or objectives, and the essential problem?
- Does the decision maker know what they’re doing?
- Do we have access to the key decision maker(s)?
- Does the decision maker have a specific set of criteria they’re using to choose the best contractor?
2. Is the opportunity winnable?
- Do we have relevant expertise, contacts or experience?
- Have we received ‘sound’ information from the client?
- Who is our competition? Are they legitimate competition, or is the decision maker adding in non-traditional businesses to the mix?
- Can we differentiate ourselves from the competition (either real or perceived)?
- Can we get the intelligence needed to win?
- Do we have intelligence that the pitch it’s “wired”? (That is, another agency has already been chosen.)
3. Is it worth it?
- Is there opportunity for true growth?
- Is there long-term relationship potential?
- Is it an interesting new category?
- Does it fit the agenda’s strategy?
- Is there “marquee value” that would or might translate into attracting other suitable clients?
- Is there reasonable pay-off of time and energy?
I also recently found this great article (even more so, the graphic) about How to Win Customers.
The first level is utterly true. Use, study and talk to your existing customers to understand better what attracts and keeps them, so you can attract and retain new clients.
Another other attributes, opinions or thoughts on how you’d approach or win new business? Please add your thoughts and comments below.
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