During my conversation with Kevin Purcell of Hewlett Packard some weeks ago, we discussed the idea that a business case has become a staple of success in sales. Not only has it become a staple, but we also agreed that this is a permanent condition.
Here’s more context. When the economy was good, sales and marketing would generally expect to rely on deeper pockets and looser budgets. CFOs or other budget-minded decision makers were not necessarily as likely to be involved in every purchasing decision, unless it was a major investment. However, in a slow economy, a strong business case was necessary to get budget allocated even for smaller investments. Without solid numbers to support their position, sales and marketing didn't have a lot of leverage to close deals.
What I see happening now is a permanent shift toward needing a business case. Whether the economy is soft or strong, everyone is thinking like CFOs and scrutinizing projects for indication of a measurable ROI. For example, this recent blog post, “Six Steps to Building a Better Business Case,” on Inc.com takes for granted that a business case is a necessary component of a successful sales pitch. The very first question they advise asking when assembling a business case is “What is the potential value in this situation?”
“A strong business case begins with a logical financial and strategic foundation for value creation. If you are selling a product, this is as simple as explaining why the product creates more value for the customer than any alternative. If you are selling the idea of a business partnership, you’ll want to focus on why the partnership will create a high return on investment.”
The days of being able to “wing it” and close deals without a compelling economic business case and cost justification are over. The new normal requires that we all help customers to cost justify our solution to be included in the business case portion of their budget authorization. If you aren't doing that, then chances are you aren't closing as you should be.
What are you doing to help customers cost justify the investment in your solution?
