Tip of the Month
The IMPAX Tip of the Month is written for business development professionals who have learned and are implementing the IMPAX Process (in the form of IMPAX Strategic Account Sales Process, IMPAX Superior Account Management Process and IMPAX Strategic Inside Sales Process, among others). These Tips deal with subjects including Research, Communication and Presentation. For more Tips on dealing with Procurement, interviewing, relationship development, effective presentation delivery and much more, see the Tip of the Month archive and our book, Beyond Selling Value.
current tip of the month – MAY 2013
Know Their Role
One of the most important things we can learn about the procurement function in a prospect or customer organization is how they are viewed by others in their company. If we can learn the answers to questions like these, we will be better prepared to develop a winning strategy:
- How is Procurement viewed by other people and organizations in the company?
- What is the official name of their function – Purchasing, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing…?
- Are they viewed as strategic in nature or more of a purchasing department?
- How visible are they at senior management meetings?
- Do they have a CPO?
- Who does the leader of Procurement report to?
- What is Procurement’s mandate?
- How visible is their mandate in the company?
- How effective is Procurement at getting resources for their own use (e.g. budget for their own internal training efforts)?
- How well do they understand the various functions of the business?
- Are there clashes with any other functional departments in the company? Which ones? Why?
- Which departments are they most closely involved and aligned with?
- At what point in the typical buying cycle does Procurement get involved?
- What types of buying situations are they always involved in?
- What types of buying situations are they less involved in?
By finding out the answers to these and other questions, we can form a more compelling strategy. The answers can help us figure out if we can work effectively with procurement or if we need to come up with a different approach.
tip of the month archive
Every month IMPAX provides thousands of sales and account management professionals with a thought leading Tip of the Month. These tips support and expound on the IMPAX Process by addressing topics such as executive presentation delivery skills, powerful gatekeeper strategies and compelling interviewing techniques.
2013
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January 2013 – It Can’t Hurt to Ask (HTML Page) |
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February 2013 – Good Question (HTML Page) |
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March 2013 – A Follow-up Question (HTML Page) |
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April 2013 – Looking Ahead (HTML Page) |
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May 2013 – Know Their Role (HTML Page) |
2012
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January 2012 – Call It Like You See It (HTML Page) |
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February 2012 – Setting Traps (HTML Page) |
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March 2012 – Avoiding Traps (HTML Page) |
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April 2012 – Anticipating Traps – Part 1 (HTML Page) |
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May 2012 – Anticipating Traps – Part 4 (HTML Page) |
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June 2012 – Give and Take (HTML Page) |
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July 2012 – Going Off The Grid |
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August 2012 – Head ‘em off at the Pass (HTML Page) |
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September 2012 – Analyze This (HTML Page) |
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October 2012 – The Last Resort (HTML Page) |
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November 2012 – The Toughest Sale? (HTML Page) |
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December 2012 – A Costly Proposition (HTML Page) |
2011
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January 2011 – Ahead of the Game, Part 2 (HTML Page) |
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February 2011 – Kicking the Tires (HTML Page) |
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March 2011 – Leverage Your Strength (HTML Page) |
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April 2011 – The RFP Presentation (HTML Page) |
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May 2011 – The Elevator Pitch (HTML Page) |
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June 2011 – The Elevator Pitch, Part 2 (HTML Page) |
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July 2011 – A Delay in the Action (HTML Page) |
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August 2011 – Populate the Field (HTML Page) |
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September 2011 – Populate the Field, Part 2 (HTML Page) |
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October 2011 – Populate the Field, Part 3 (HTML Page) |
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November 2011 – Help Set the Rules (HTML Page) |
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December 2011 – Bring in the Big Guns, or Use Your Team, Part 4 (HTML Page) |
2010
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January 2010 – Upon Further Review (HTML Page) |
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February 2010 – Apples to Oranges (HTML Page) |
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March 2010 – By Mutual Agreement (HTML Page) |
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April 2010 – Time is of the Essence (HTML Page) |
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May 2010 – References Required (HTML Page) |
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June 2010 – Move Cautiously (HTML Page) |
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July 2010 – Before You Get Trapped (HTML Page) |
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August 2010 – Plan B (HTML Page) |
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September 2010 – Plan B, Part 2 (HTML Page) |
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October 2010 – Use Your Team, Part 3 (HTML Page) |
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November 2010 – Competitive Position (HTML Page) |
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December 2010 – Ahead of the Game (HTML Page) |
2009
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January 2009 – Taking the Lead (HTML Page) |
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February 2009 – A Qualifying Call (HTML Page) |
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March 2009 – Presenting to a Committee (HTML Page) |
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April 2009 – Follow All The Rules (HTML Page) |
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May 2009 – A Third Option (HTML Page) |
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June 2009 – How Much is Enough? (HTML Page) |
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July 2009 – A Partial Response (HTML Page) |
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August 2009 – The Price Question (HTML Page) |
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September 2009 – Sell Them Well (HTML Page) |
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October 2009 – Use Your Team, Part 1 (HTML Page) |
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November 2009 – Use Your Team, Part 2 (HTML Page) |
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December 2009 – Issue Your Own RFP (HTML Page) |
2008
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January 2008 – Break the Rules, Part I (HTML Page) |
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February 2008 – Break the Rules, Part II (HTML Page) |
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March 2008 – Turning a Negative into a Positive (HTML Page) |
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April 2008 – Into the Eye of the Storm (HTML Page) |
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May 2008 – Pick Your Battles (HTML Page) |
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June 2008 – A Rule to Ignore (HTML Page) |
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July 2008 – Back to the Beginning (HTML Page) |
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August 2008 – In Summary... (HTML Page) |
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September 2008 – A Quick Consultation (HTML Page) |
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October 2008 – Don’t Trust the Specs (HTML Page) |
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November 2008 – A Suitable Compromise (HTML Page) |
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December 2008 – Walk Away (HTML Page) |
2007
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January 2007 – The Worst Question (HTML Page) |
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February 2007 – A Helpful Acronym (HTML Page) |
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March 2007 – Watch Your Mouth (HTML Page) |
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April 2007 – No Reading Allowed (HTML Page) |
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May 2007 – Presentation “DON’Ts” (HTML Page) |
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June 2007 – Presentation “DOs” (HTML Page) |
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July 2007 – A Magnificent Seven (HTML Page) |
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August 2007 – Back at ‘Ya! (HTML Page) |
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September 2007 – Align with the Line (HTML Page) |
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October 2007 – Find the Fit, Part I (HTML Page) |
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November 2007 – Find the Fit, Part II (HTML Page) |
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December 2007 – Good News and Bad News (HTML Page) |
2006
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January 2006 – Answer Right (HTML Page) |
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February 2006 – Two at a Time (HTML Page) |
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March 2006 – A Fantastic Flow (HTML Page) |
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April 2006 – A Unique Opportunity (HTML Page) |
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May 2006 – 5 Valuable Minutes (HTML Page) |
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June 2006 – No Apology Necesaary (HTML Page) |
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July 2006 – Wiggle Out (HTML Page) |
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August 2006 – Extra Protection (HTML Page) |
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September 2006 – Stand and Deliver (HTML Page) |
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October 2006 – A Quote Worth Remembering, Part II (HTML Page) |
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November 2006 – A Quote of Our Own (HTML Page) |
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December 2006 – Lombardi Time (HTML Page) |
2005
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January 2005 – Using a Straw Man (HTML Page) |
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February 2005 – 3 For The Price of 1 (HTML Page) |
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March 2005 – Seeking Out The Positive (HTML Page) |
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April 2005 – A Good Assumption (HTML Page) |
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May 2005 – Don’t Take Okay For An Answer (HTML Page) |
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June 2005 – Maintaining Control (HTML Page) |
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July 2005 – Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse (HTML Page) |
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August 2005 – Your Voice, Use It or Lose It (HTML Page) |
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September 2005 – Leveraging The Phone For Research (HTML Page) |
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October 2005 – Tap The Network (HTML Page) |
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November 2005 – A Quote Worth Remembering (HTML Page) |
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December 2005 – One at a Time (HTML Page) |
2004
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January 2004 – A Timely Rehearsal Tip (HTML Page) |
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February 2004 – Damage Control (HTML Page) |
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March 2004 – What’s The Word? (HTML Page) |
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April 2004 – The Eyes Have It, Part I (HTML Page) |
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May 2004 – The Eyes Have It, Part II (HTML Page) |
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June 2004 – A Surprisingly Good Question (HTML Page) |
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July 2004 – A Way Outside The Box (HTML Page) |
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August 2004 – Silence Really is Golden, Part I (HTML Page) |
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September 2004 – Silence Really is Golden, Part II (HTML Page) |
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October 2004 – Which One Are You Acting Like? (HTML Page) |
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November 2004 – What’s The Buzz? Part I (HTML Page) |
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December 2004 – What’s The Buzz? Part II (HTML Page) |
2003
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January 2003 – Turning the Question Around (HTML Page) |
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February 2003 – What to Do When the Decision Maker Doesn’t Show (HTML Page) |
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March 2003 – Don’t Re-Create the Wheel (HTML Page) |
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April 2003 – The “What-If” Question, Part I (HTML Page) |
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May 2003 – The “Dream Question” (HTML Page) |
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June 2003 – Honesty Pays (HTML Page) |
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July 2003 – The “What-If” Question, Part II (HTML Page) |
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August 2003 – Some “What-If” Answers (HTML Page) |
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September 2003 – An Enlightening Question (HTML Page) |
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October 2003 – 4 Good Words To Forget (HTML Page) |
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November 2003 – Setting the Tone (HTML Page) |
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December 2003 – Go Out With A Bang (HTML Page) |
2002
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January 2002 – Use of Titles (HTML Page) |
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February 2002 – Handling Voicemail (HTML Page) |
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March 2002 – Presentation Draft Control (HTML Page) |
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April 2002 – Making Friends with the Administrative Staff (HTML Page) |
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May 2002 – Using a Close-Ended Question (HTML Page) |
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June 2002 – How to Handle a “Boring” Research Meeting (HTML Page) |
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July 2002 – Get Personal (HTML Page) |
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August 2002 – The Sure Fire Way to Open a Research Meeting (HTML Page) |
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September 2002 – Getting Help from Ben Franklin (HTML Page) |
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October 2002 – Write it Down (HTML Page) |
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November 2002 – The Bare Necessities (HTML Page) |
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December 2002 – Create an Event (HTML Page) |
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