WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:05.639 We had no issue looking someone in the eye and saying, 2 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:09.080 hold on a minute. We do these things really well. 3 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:13.199 But you tell me what on this list isn't important 4 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:14.359 for you, and we'll take it off. 5 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.399 You're listening to the Audible Ready Podcast, the show that 6 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:26.239 helps you and your teams sell more faster. We'll feature 7 00:00:26.280 --> 00:00:28.760 sales leaders sharing their best insights on how to create 8 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:31.920 a sales engine that helps you fuel repeatable revenue growth. 9 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:35.000 Presented by the team at Force Management, a leader in 10 00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:37.640 B to B sales effectiveness. Let's get started. 11 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:41.759 Hello and welcome to the Audible Ready Sales Podcast. I'm 12 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:45.759 Rachel Klett Miller. Today we are going to talk about 13 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:50.039 our fps, responding to them in a way that puts 14 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:53.840 you in a favorable position. Joining me today is our 15 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:58.679 own Brian Walsh. Hi, Brian, Hi, Rachel, how are you good? Good? 16 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:00.200 Happy to have you here today. 17 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:03.280 It is always my pleasure. I love talking to you 18 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:04.000 about this stuff. 19 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:08.760 Awesome and we've talked about it before. It's a big topic. 20 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:12.760 We could probably do a whole hour on this topic, 21 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:17.560 and we'll dive into some different nuances about the RFP today, 22 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:22.719 but really the first assumption is that if you're getting 23 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:26.120 an RFP, you're likely a little late to the party. 24 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:32.400 Well yeah, I mean, and I think that's the traditional concern, right, 25 00:01:32.599 --> 00:01:34.359 And as you and I have talked already a little 26 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:38.879 bit previous to today, the definition of an RFP has 27 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:41.799 probably changed in a way in that, you know, in 28 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:44.760 the old days, people would come to the table having 29 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:50.040 some set of expertise internally, or maybe they've engaged a consultant, 30 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:53.079 or maybe they've already worked with a vendor and they've 31 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:56.879 written an RFP. There's so much more information out there 32 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:00.879 now that it's almost as if every time and interaction 33 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:03.959 starts with the customer coming to us with some interest. 34 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:06.599 You know, they've done some research on their own. So 35 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:09.560 even that is like a verbal form of the RFP. 36 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:12.800 And and what I think, And it just hit me 37 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:14.520 as you as you said it, and I because I 38 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:17.599 agree with the assumption. But it's almost as if getting 39 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:20.520 an RFP maybe we should be thinking of it as 40 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:24.400 like an invitation to the party, okay, And it's like 41 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:27.199 the question now, is is this a party I want 42 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:30.000 to go to? And is it a party I want 43 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:31.599 to step in, take a look around and get the 44 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:33.120 heck out of? Or is it a party I want 45 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:36.280 to go to and actually participate in. Maybe that's just 46 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:38.719 a little shift on the on the on the concept 47 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:42.599 because there are you know, three or four big things 48 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:44.599 that I got to understand. How did they get here? 49 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:46.960 Did they get here on their own or do they 50 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:49.039 are already have some help? Are they using the internet 51 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:51.080 and doing all their own research, whatever that might be. 52 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:54.759 And then for us, it's getting an understanding, you know, 53 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:57.439 if it's a written RFP or it's a verbal conversation, 54 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:01.599 just listening and or fully re to better understand what's 55 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:05.759 happening so that you can assess your position before you 56 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:09.520 try to improve your position right and determine your response. 57 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:11.719 And I have to tell you, as I was thinking 58 00:03:11.719 --> 00:03:13.840 about it this morning before we got on the call, 59 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:18.599 I was reminded of some of the greatest strategists I 60 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:21.199 was lucky enough to work with. And I think about, 61 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:22.800 you know, just names, no one that's going to know, 62 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:26.919 but Dan On Nuskin, Becky Mitchell, and Tom Grohle, who 63 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:29.759 might be a recognizable name because Tom is the uncle 64 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:33.400 of rock and roll as Dave Grohl. But Tom Grohl 65 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:35.639 was one of my mentors. So those three names were 66 00:03:35.639 --> 00:03:38.840 mentors of mine. As a sales rep. And one of 67 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:41.719 the things all three of them had in common was 68 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:45.639 this ability to really assess our position and to include 69 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:47.560 a case like this where there's a live deal on 70 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:50.159 the table that we've been invited to participate in. And 71 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:53.319 for them, it was all about strategy first, not just 72 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:55.800 oh we got something, let's go run to act. It 73 00:03:55.960 --> 00:04:00.159 was about really assessing what is this thing that we've 74 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:03.879 been invited to all about, and how do we figure 75 00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:08.039 out do we belong, how do we influence it before 76 00:04:08.039 --> 00:04:09.759 we just run with some set of answers. 77 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:14.560 Yeah, there's a lot of great things that you've teed 78 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:19.959 up in those opening comments, and I was reminded of myself. 79 00:04:20.120 --> 00:04:22.360 You know, if you think about when you call a 80 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:26.920 vendor looking for a solution, there's already been a lot 81 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:29.360 happening internally before you get to that point. 82 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:31.839 I mean, I mean you sit on that side of 83 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:32.480 the desk, you know. 84 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:36.800 Yeah, it's never the first move, right, right. So you 85 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:42.120 talked about strategy and really assessing your position. That's sort 86 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:44.839 of that internal work that needs to be done. But 87 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.800 then the question is how do you determine a great response? 88 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:51.759 Because that next step of what you do influenced by 89 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:54.839 the strategy is can really go a lot of different ways, 90 00:04:54.839 --> 00:04:56.920 and you have to be strategic about that response. 91 00:04:57.240 --> 00:05:00.759 Yeah, so you know, I should probably the rest of 92 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:03.439 what I'm going to say in today's podcast with I 93 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:07.920 am not the loan expert, right, I just want to 94 00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:10.319 make sure because I'm afraid that somebody might hear someone 95 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:12.079 we want to say and they'll say things like well 96 00:05:12.120 --> 00:05:15.000 what about or yeah, that works in this situation. And 97 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:16.920 you know, as you said, we could talk about this 98 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:19.319 concept for an hour, but I do think there's a 99 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.079 couple of things you have to do. And I kind 100 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:23.160 of mentioned in a minute ago. When I look at 101 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:26.040 an invitation, because that's really what this is, I got 102 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:29.120 to ask myself, is this a party I'm even interested 103 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:31.600 in attending? And that should come from your knowledge of 104 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:34.720 the account in the political landscape in sidey the account, 105 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:37.439 the relationships you do have or don't have. It goes 106 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:40.480 back to the concept of account strategy and planning. Have 107 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:43.199 we been working on this account to develop champions or 108 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.000 at least coaches and those kinds of things, or is 109 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:49.279 this a cold opportunity for us. That's the first thing. 110 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:51.720 And then inside of that, I think You've got to 111 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:54.040 have a willingness. If you decide you're going to try 112 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.680 to participate, you have to have a willingness. Or maybe 113 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:01.360 it's a point of view that just says, listen, whether 114 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:05.639 this customer buys from us or not is not the 115 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:09.040 first question to answer. The first question to answer is 116 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:12.360 what does good really look like? Now I'm going to 117 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:14.120 sound like a broken record because I talk about this 118 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:17.319 all the time, but my job is to help the 119 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:20.759 customer to find what good looks like so that we 120 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:23.879 can look at that from both sides of the desk, 121 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:26.279 and I can start to answer the question before the 122 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:29.000 customer even does. Am I a good fit for that? 123 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.720 Because if I've really helped you think through what good 124 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:33.639 looks like and we've landed on what good looks like 125 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:36.959 for you and your organization, it then should become obvious 126 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.319 to me and my team are we a good potential 127 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:43.120 fit for this set of outcomes and what it takes 128 00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:46.079 to get to those outcomes? So I should be qualifying 129 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:49.319 this opportunity in that way first, before I start thinking 130 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:52.240 about what can I compete against other offerings that it 131 00:06:52.279 --> 00:06:54.759 might already be at the table. Take that out of 132 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:56.759 the equation. Because that clouds your vision. That gets you 133 00:06:56.839 --> 00:07:01.199 focused on getting the win over the competition, versus defining 134 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:05.720 and anchoring tim catoism, which I love, right, anchoring the 135 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:08.120 conversation and the problems we're trying to help you solve, 136 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:10.800 and more importantly, in my mind, the outcomes we're trying 137 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.399 to help you drive. I think it got to start there. 138 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:16.040 You got to have the willingness, you know, to make 139 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:18.160 the customer earn your expertise a little bit when it 140 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:22.360 comes to your product and your solutions, right because you know, well, kid, 141 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:23.439 you're going to say something, I think. 142 00:07:23.319 --> 00:07:26.399 Go ahead, No, no, I think your to your point. 143 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:29.839 It's about the outcomes, and they know where they want 144 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:33.839 to get to, and they think they have the solution requirements. 145 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:35.639 But it's kind of your job to trying to late 146 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:37.800 the truth there and make sure that that path is 147 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:40.519 really going to get them to the outcomes yeah they 148 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:41.519 want to achieve. 149 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:45.040 Right, Yeah, because I think you know, it's the idea 150 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:50.160 that you if you can anchor the conversation in you know, 151 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:52.399 and we all have our own style. My style is 152 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:54.879 to try to help the customer realize that Look, you know, 153 00:07:54.920 --> 00:07:57.199 you want me to talk about me and how we 154 00:07:57.560 --> 00:08:00.000 how we can address this RFP or this listen requires. 155 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:03.040 The problem is I could talk about me for hours 156 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:05.920 on end. I need enough context to make sure that 157 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.759 what I'm about to say about me actually aligned with 158 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:11.600 where you're trying to go. So, I mean, I get it. 159 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:14.079 I'm going to honor the required capabilities you come to 160 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:18.279 the table with. But my first responsibility, I think, is 161 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:22.800 to get some things on the table that you may 162 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:24.639 not have thought about yet, or you may not have 163 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:28.480 thought about fully yet, in order to expand the universe 164 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:32.559 of what's important for you to think about right before. 165 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:37.120 Because I think this is all about and this is 166 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:39.120 my mindset I'm when I say this, I think this 167 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:41.120 is all about the customer getting to a great outcome 168 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:45.559 and to your point about triangulating the truth. So I'm 169 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:48.559 not only trying to triangulate the truth about that what 170 00:08:48.759 --> 00:08:51.240 is really a great outcome and what's truly required to 171 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:53.159 get there and if you really thought about all of 172 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:54.720 that and if you really thought about all of that 173 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:57.320 with depth. But the other thing I'm trying to do 174 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:03.120 is I'm trying toqualify you, right. I mean, you're the 175 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:05.960 one who invited me to this party. Do I want 176 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:09.759 to spend time with you. Are you worth spending time with? 177 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:12.879 And you know, because it's the old you know, A third, 178 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:16.240 a third, a third, even when the owner organization is 179 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:18.919 an RFP. In a way, I'm of the strong belief 180 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:20.840 that a third of the people involved in that RFP 181 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:24.000 are the ones actually sponsoring it. They want to see 182 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:26.039 some change, they're going to put their names on it. 183 00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:28.559 A third of the people, you know, they're all long 184 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:31.360 for the ride, they'll, they'll, they'll, they're all in for 185 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:33.039 the change, but they're not going to put their name 186 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:34.799 on it. They don't want to own it. And then 187 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:36.399 there's a third of the people who are praying to 188 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:38.840 God this thing doesn't happen because it's going to change 189 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:41.840 their life. They don't want it. Right. And my only 190 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:44.840 point is I'm constantly trying to triangulate who am I 191 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:46.679 in front of? Am I talking to? Which one of 192 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:48.600 those three people am I talking to? And if I 193 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:52.000 find myself in that third person's office, I'm not suggesting 194 00:09:52.039 --> 00:09:54.639 that that data point alone means I qualify me and 195 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.360 my team out of the deal, but I probably does 196 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:01.120 qualify me out of their office. Right, So all of 197 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:03.759 these data points matter but it does. I think I'll 198 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:06.600 go back to first and foremost, you have to anchor 199 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:10.360 the conversation in what are you really trying to solve for? 200 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:12.679 Because if you can get that door open about what 201 00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:14.960 are the outcomes you're trying to achieve, it's easier to 202 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:18.200 start talking through required capabilities at a deeper level. It's 203 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:19.919 also easier to pull them back and say, well, how 204 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:21.799 did we even get there? What problem are we trying 205 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:22.240 to solve for? 206 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:25.720 Yeah, and focusing on the outcomes is a really easy 207 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:28.960 way to make a buyer focused the conversation hier focus. 208 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:31.919 Yeah. And by focusing on the outcomes, it's another way 209 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:34.919 to qualify the person you're in front of. Technical buyer, 210 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:41.080 economic buyer, coach, potential champion, potential enemy, someone who cares, 211 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:43.440 someone who's on for the ride, someone who doesn't care. 212 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:46.000 I mean, all of those things start to become a 213 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:48.720 little bit clearer so that you can then come back 214 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.960 and start to make some educated decisions, not on the 215 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:56.039 final outcome. Are we going to participate or not? But 216 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:58.879 what's our strategy to then go forward? 217 00:10:59.320 --> 00:11:01.000 Right next? Your next steps? 218 00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:01.559 Yeah? 219 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:06.039 Yeah, As you're triangulating the truth and listening to them 220 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:11.000 talking about outcomes and solution requirements. The other thing you're 221 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:13.840 assessing is there a competitor already in there? Are we 222 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:16.000 behind as it relates to our competition? 223 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:21.159 Yeah? And as a result, again, it's another strategy moment. 224 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.639 What's the competitive strategy we need to play into here? 225 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:29.240 Because if some competitors already got relationship and has already 226 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:33.679 built some differentiation into the conversation me trying to meet 227 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:36.080 them directly on the battlefield is probably not going to 228 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:38.600 be the best of ideas. I'm going to have to either, 229 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:40.279 and I think you got to have both of these 230 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:42.120 to make the strategy work. I'm gonna have to take 231 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:44.799 a step back and ask myself, is this a flanking 232 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:47.759 opportunity or a fragmenting opportunity? Can I flank the deal 233 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:51.320 with additional differentiation that I have that is important to 234 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:53.879 getting the outcomes? And even but that's only going to 235 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.720 work if I've also got relationship, right, I've got some 236 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:00.320 credibility in the account. And then secondarily, or do I 237 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:02.440 fragment it? So I look at this large deal and go, 238 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.000 this thing is set up seventy five percent of it 239 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:07.799 for the competition already, and that makes perfect sense. But 240 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:10.039 this twenty five percent over here, we do really well, 241 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:12.159 how do I maybe pull that piece of the deal out? 242 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:16.360 Like that's that's like a real serious competitive strategy conversation 243 00:12:16.919 --> 00:12:20.000 that should be happening early if something's coming to us 244 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:24.320 and we can already tell other people are engaged. Here's 245 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.080 the other thing too, when you think about the people 246 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:30.080 if you've got a third party involved, like a consultant, 247 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:33.039 which happened, which is happening more and more right in 248 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:35.200 certain industries. It's been happening in other industries for a 249 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:37.480 long time. But if you've got a consultant in the room, 250 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:39.240 you've got to be start to ask yourself some questions 251 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:42.080 about that. What does that relationship mean to the customer? 252 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.639 How does that consultant get paid? Right? What is their 253 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:49.279 objective which is you know, often not totally aligned. Their 254 00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:52.279 objective is to save money, right, because that's how they 255 00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:55.000 get paid. They get a percentage of cost savings and 256 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:58.240 this and purchasing is aligned with that to one extent 257 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:00.600 or another. And then the line of businesses does even 258 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:03.639 isn't even aware of that relationship. They've got a responsibility 259 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:06.879 to the customer base or to the patient or whatever marketplace, 260 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:08.960 you know, vertical market I'm in. So then you've got 261 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:11.919 to start to triangulate all of that. There's a lot 262 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:14.519 more than just oh you want these ten requirements. Let 263 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:16.840 me tell you how we do it right? 264 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.960 Right, Because really this r an RFP verbal, however it 265 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:25.279 comes to you, is an opportunity and you have to 266 00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:28.960 decide what you're going to do. Two of that those 267 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:33.320 key questions asking your customer what outcomes you're trying to drive? 268 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:35.720 How and then how are you going to ensure that 269 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:40.480 your requirements actually drive those? And you know you're sort 270 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:44.840 of circling around this other point with the RFP. That 271 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.639 can be a little bit of a dance that when 272 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:51.240 you decide this isn't for us and you need to 273 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:55.200 walk away, that is not always easy, especially if there's 274 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:56.919 an established relationship there. 275 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:01.320 Yeah, so let's talk about the walking awayside, and then 276 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:03.679 we'll talk about the what about going all inside? Right? 277 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:06.600 So but on your on your question, the contents of 278 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:09.720 atit and gratefully, I think this is really in and 279 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:14.200 of itself a really important skill set, right because we've 280 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:16.840 all seen this go really bad, like I remember no 281 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.600 names please, right, we'll protect protect the guilty but I 282 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:25.519 remember getting a phone call from a Fortune five one thousand, 283 00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:28.840 I think for five hundred client, and it was the 284 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:33.200 administrative aid for the CEO, and we had responded to 285 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:36.879 an RFP and midway through we got cut. So we 286 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:40.039 didn't we didn't walk away, but we got cut. But 287 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:45.240 this is close. The rep shows, without any agreement from 288 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:48.200 anybody else, the account executive on the on the account 289 00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:52.159 chose to send the CEO a letter letting the CEO 290 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:56.679 know how awful his team was in no uncertaint terms. 291 00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:00.679 And obviously I had no idea about it, nor did 292 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:02.960 anyone else, but I'm the one who got the call 293 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:06.080 from the CEO's office, and of course, of course, you know, 294 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:11.679 I immediately took responsibility and apologized, and he was happy that 295 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:14.080 I was willing to, you know, own it, and you know, 296 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:17.200 we walked away having a good conversation. But you know, 297 00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:20.240 there's a way to exit gracefully, you know. And whether 298 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.960 it's midway through the RP when you think you're about 299 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.960 to lose, or it's early on and you're seeing yourself, 300 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.159 I don't think we belong in this one, as much 301 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:30.519 as we'd like to compete. If this was a brand 302 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:33.799 new opportunity. Maybe we could better influence it, but these 303 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.519 require capabilities are already set up for somebody else, et cetera, 304 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:39.639 et cetera. You have got to find a way to 305 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:43.960 exit gracefully and live to fight another day. And again, 306 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:46.759 even that is a skill, and I think how you 307 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.120 do that? Again? It goes back to strategy. It goes 308 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:52.639 back to In one account, we just might be able 309 00:15:52.679 --> 00:15:54.679 to call somebody up and say, listen, Rachel, we've known 310 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:57.879 you a long time. The reality is we already know 311 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:00.240 that like you, and I may be so tight that 312 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:03.039 I can say Rachel's reality is this has clearly already 313 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.679 been written for ex competitor, and that's okay. If that's 314 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:09.200 if that's where this is headed, those things happen, and 315 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:12.960 if we can't influence it, let's just move on right. 316 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:16.679 In other cases, it might require a more formal response. 317 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:19.279 We used to do a lot of this kind of thing, 318 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:21.919 where we would look at an RFP and say, hey, 319 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:24.320 if it had the following couple of outcomes in it 320 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:27.120 and or the following couple of required capabilities, we could 321 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:29.600 potentially play. And so we would send a letter and 322 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:33.000 just stay very very kindly, hey, based on your RP. 323 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:35.399 It looks like this is where you're headed. We believe 324 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:39.120 that there's some conversations around the following outcome and or 325 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:44.320 required capabilities that need to be had. If you if 326 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:46.799 you'd like to have those, we are a potential player. 327 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:50.679 If not, that's okay, but we're probably we're not going 328 00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:52.519 to play because we don't. You know, it just doesn't 329 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:55.440 make sense. That's probably the wrong language, which you get 330 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:58.159 the point. And what I find interesting is you would 331 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:02.240 immediately find some things out. Those conversations on one in 332 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:05.279 the spectrum or somewhere in the middle would immediately tell 333 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:10.079 you if your gut is correct. You might It wasn't 334 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:13.799 all the time, but more frequently than people might think. 335 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:16.559 We would get a response to the verbal conversation that 336 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:19.079 I just walked it through, or the written conversation I 337 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:21.240 gave an example of that would say well, whoa, whoa, whoa, 338 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:23.119 Wait a minute, come on here, come in here and 339 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:27.000 talk to us about that stuff. Okay. Again, it didn't 340 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:29.480 mean we were going to stay in the deal, but 341 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:31.160 it did give us the opportunity to go in and 342 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:34.480 try to influence and I better understand so that we 343 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:37.039 could look the cuts in the eye, often in that 344 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:40.319 very moment and say, okay, based on this conversation, we're 345 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:43.279 all in. Or based on this conversation, we're clearly not 346 00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:45.839 the right fit. And by the way, here's what we 347 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:48.359 think you might want to do. You might want to 348 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:54.839 call these people like especially I'm laughing because especially, like 349 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:58.079 if this was already wound for one competitor, we didn't 350 00:17:58.119 --> 00:18:01.240 want to make it easy for the competition. We you know, 351 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:03.319 so if we knew somebody else who could make their 352 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:07.079 life difficult whether they win or not, and and like 353 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:09.839 an honest competitor for the you know, for the customer 354 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:11.799 to consider, we say, you know what you should do. 355 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:14.680 You should call those folks over at because they're another 356 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:16.799 group that might be able to do this really really well, 357 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:19.759 you know that kind of thing. Again, I'm doing this 358 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:22.720 with the customer's best interest in mine, but I'm also 359 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.599 trying to make life a little more difficult for one 360 00:18:24.599 --> 00:18:26.519 of my competitors who's already made tried to make my 361 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:28.720 life difficult by writing an RFP and then getting me 362 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:31.119 pulled in as a second or a third bit. So 363 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:34.680 you get my point, right, I mean, but this is 364 00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:41.200 all about really good strategy and preparation. It's all about 365 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:44.960 really think it's chess like this is thinking three four 366 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:48.359 moves ahead, not just reacting to the move that the 367 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:51.319 other player just made on the board, right, you know. 368 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:53.119 I mean I'm not the greatest chess player, but I 369 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.759 understand that concept really well, and so I would my 370 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:59.640 biggest piece of advice on this would be when you 371 00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:02.799 get something like this, stop for a minute and think 372 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:07.359 about strategy before you just act. 373 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.359 Right before you reacts too. 374 00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:12.839 And it's like, yeah, And this idea of exiting is 375 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:15.759 another example of that. Don't just exit with a knee 376 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:19.160 jerk reaction. Exit in a way that sets you up 377 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:21.640 for other conversations in the future, sets you up with 378 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:25.200 some credibility, at least gets people at least set your 379 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.640 exit in a way where no one can say bad 380 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:31.519 things about you for exiting. How's that at a minimum? Right, 381 00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:32.759 that's like the minimum? 382 00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:37.480 Yeah? I like I love that point, Brian. And I'm 383 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:41.319 also reminded of a vendor search. I guess you would say. 384 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:44.960 We had several years ago, and I had a relationship 385 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:48.880 with one of the options, and they qualified themselves out, 386 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:51.759 and they had had meetings with us, and they qualified 387 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:54.319 themselves out by an email. They sent me just a 388 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:56.359 blank an email. It's like, hey, I don't think this 389 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:58.400 is a good fit. And I already had an established 390 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:01.319 relationship with them, and I was taken aback by that. 391 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:03.799 And guess what you know, four years later, we're looking 392 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:05.359 for the same type of vendor and I did not 393 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:05.920 call them. 394 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:09.880 Yeah, yeah, it's not it's what's you know, people don't 395 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:13.119 remember what you said. They remember how you made them feel. Yeah, 396 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:14.880 you know, or you know, it's not what you say, 397 00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:17.799 it's how you say it. Whatever, whatever, idiots and whatever, 398 00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:22.240 whatever you call those things, whatever that might be, it's 399 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:25.079 that's truth. It's it's how you do it. It's going 400 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:27.640 to matter, and it may open up the door to well, wait, 401 00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:31.000