The Business Development Story That Changed Everything for Brian Caffarelli
Mo asks Brian Caffarelli: Tell me of a business development story that you are really proud of. Brian’s most proud of the lesson he learned from his story. Early in his career, Brian was part of a major sales effort with a world-class brand....
Mo asks Brian Caffarelli: Tell me of a business development story that you are really proud of.
Brian’s most proud of the lesson he learned from his story. Early in his career, Brian was part of a major sales effort with a world-class brand. Negotiations went very well until there was one intractable snag with the contract.
Brian learned that it wasn’t just about making a sale, it was about making a quality sale. Some clients aren’t right for your organization.
You will never regret the client you didn’t get, as much as the wrong client you did get.
Brian had to step up in two dimensions: In being with the buyer through all the steps of the process, and in bridging the gap between the seller’s needs and the buyer’s needs.
Shared expectations are important. You should be diligent around creating shared expectations before a sale is made so that everyone is on the same page and you can avoid making painful mistakes down the road.
If something isn’t a fit, it’s better to find that out sooner rather than later.