Creating a win win for buyers and sellers

IT & Security buyers have their favourite “go-to” sources of information to keep themselves abreast with market trends, new products and services.

Tapping into these sources and being part of their thought process is one of several steps needed if you are to join their select list of people to contact when they need topic expertise. They need to trust you so receiving well-timed, insightful and relevant information suited to their job role is important, before and after an in-person interaction.

If a business places a value on in-person events and invests in a sales persons’ attendance, they realise the value of the human connection and that beyond the focus of a purchase order (PO) offers way more than any digital connection or networking dinner. Buyers and sellers benefit from these direct interactions as it facilitates better communication makes for more meaningful and long-term partnerships.

The circle of loss

And yet, so many times following our events our CISOs report lack of follow-up from the people they’ve spent time with. This means everyone loses out – the buyer because they’ve invested time in the evening because they genuinely want to learn more about your subject, the sponsor because they’ve invested in their sales person to establish the relationship on their behalf and also, the sales person.

Cynically speaking, the individual sales person stands to lose the most as a personal connection managed well will endure and last an entire career as their relationships open doors.

The missed opportunity: Beyond the dinner table

As a salesperson, you’ve likely attended countless dinners with clients and prospects, aiming to build rapport and secure deals. You’ve had a great evening, shared stories, laughed, and seemingly laid the groundwork for a promising business relationship. Our advice is – don’t ignore the follow-up!.

The value of following up

It sounds obvious, but failing to follow up properly and for the longer term will result in weakened connections. Follow these steps to significantly improve your event ROI.

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Step 1: Immediately afterwards

1. Reinforce connections: A timely follow-up reinforces the positive impressions made during the dinner, showing your commitment and interest in the relationship.
2. Clarify details personally: It’s a chance to address any questions or concerns that might have arisen, ensuring both parties are aligned on potential deals or collaborations.
3. Maintain momentum: Keeping the conversation going is crucial. Without a follow-up, the momentum gained during the dinner can quickly dissipate.

Step 2: Ongoing

1. Personalised messages: Send a personalised email or message referencing specific points from your conversation. This shows attentiveness and genuine interest. If you are going to add them to marketing mailing lists, ensure that personal element is maintained and they don’t receive generic marketing messaging
2. Timeliness: Regular interaction is important. This isn’t because you feel a deal is imminent and there’s ‘something in it’ for you in the short-term – this is investing in the future of relationships.
3. Actionable next steps: Propose a clear next step, whether it’s another meeting, a formal proposal, or a demo. This provides a direction for the relationship to progress. This meeting should happen irrespective of whether a deal is in the offing and be because

Win-win: building lasting relationships

Ultimately, successful sales are built on relationships, not just transactions. By prioritizing follow-up, you demonstrate reliability and professionalism, laying the foundation for long-term partnerships.

In summary

Attending a dinner is just the beginning of building a successful business relationship. The follow-up is where you solidify connections, and maintain momentum. By making follow-up an ongoing priority, salespeople can turn a promising dinner into a lasting and fruitful business relationship. 

CISO Crowd (aka 'The Crowd') is an independent, unique and exclusive community of information security professionals who come together across a variety of public and private sector organisations to connect and collaborate with each other to drive success within a challenging industry.

As the group continues to grow, it remains committed to its original mission of providing a community-driven network for information security professionals to collaborate and share best practices. The founders and the entire CISO Crowd community are dedicated to creating an environment that fosters innovation, learning, and professional growth.