that need to be in place for the initiative to be successful), they can begin to define the unique value proposition. The key here is to seek first to understand and then second to be understood. Listen first, sell second. The problem with telling a potential customer what you think they need before you understand what they think they need is that: ● You're basing your position on a known set of requirements from a broad base of companies instead of unknown specific opportunities. ● It positions you as more of a commodity play or just a vendor – as opposed to a partner who can help transform the way they conduct their business. #2: "Why your solution vs. your competitors'?" No one knows more about your solution than you do, so you should be the one helpfully consulting with your target customer to craft what success looks like. By doing this, you're more likely to win the criteria­setting battle, because you're essentially pre­positioning and differentiating your enterprise/SaaS product over that of your competitors. This helps block the competition, as you’re helping the prospect learn to see the world, and success, through your lens. Therefore, the sales team's job here is to help a potential customer define success in three distinct buckets: (1) business criteria; (2) architecture/scale criteria; and (3) feature and functional criteria. This is also the best time to prepare messaging, metrics, and marketing to address three audiences: (1) enterprise­level (C­suite, senior vice presidents); (2) workgroup­level (VPs, directors, managers); and (3) user­level (groups of individual contributors and their direct managers). Since most companies spend most their messaging effort on the level 1 or 3 audiences, forcing your company to constantly see its prospects and customers through this three­level lens affects your win/loss ratio. At this point of the sales cycle, there are many tasks that have to be guided by the project owner – usually the salesperson. This is where they show their value: by coordinating the right resource, action, or message – at the right level and at the right time – to determine success or failure. The best enterprise salespeople are coaches or entrepreneurs, ensuring all the audiences at a prospect are receiving what they need, that resources are rallied from your company, stumbling blocks are uncovered and avoided, and surprises are eliminated. This is key because your biggest competition isn't just other startups, perpetually licensed on­premise packages, home­grown solutions, or incumbent vendors. It's inertia. It takes a lot for a Big Company to decide and successfully implement a new solution. Enterprise salespeople often can’t achieve that big account escape velocity, and lose to Do Nothing and No Decision more often than to any other competitor. #3: "Why now vs. investing in another area of our business?" Once you've eliminated the competition and are on the path to technical validation, you have to turn the value proposition