Our New Normal Sales 2.0 ecosystem can be a wild, confusing, exciting, and overwhelming place. More objections, more decision-makers, more departments to sell into, more knowledgeable customers, more products to sell, more tools available, more processes to learn, more choices….more more MORE!

Today, there are more decision-makers involved in the committee but fewer actually hold budget dollars. You would think with so many more decision-makers to contact, the chances of landing on the wrong ones would be minimal. But CSO Insights found that 22% of deals are lost because of “no decision.” That means salespeople are still hanging out with the wrong people.

It’s getting harder to find the real power in a company, even though both technology and business systems are bombarding us with more data than ever. Today, inside sales is engaging in extensive pre-call research and coming away equipped with hundreds of people to contact per target company. How can they quickly distinguish who has the power and who are the No-Po’s?

Why We’re Drawn to No-Po’s

No-Po stands for No Power, No Potential and No Purchase Order. Unlike the traditional gatekeepers, these No-Po’s are very knowledgeable and are part of the decision-making committee. They often hold a prestigious title, such as Manager, Director, Engineer, Administrator, Analyst, or Consultant. Although they earn more than receptionists and executive assistants, they hold roughly the same level of power when it comes to making purchasing decisions.

No-Po’s are hard to resist. After we’ve dialed a hundred outbound calls in a week with minimal success, we just want to connect with someone live—it’s easy to find comfort in someone who wants to talk. So we’re happy to get fooled by them. No-Po’s love talking with vendors and act as though they have power, but they discourage you from talking with anyone else, especially their bosses.

No-Po’s love your product and understand it better than you. They are generous with their time, often asking lots of questions. Soon, you believe the sale is getting closer because No-Po’s invite more people to your conference calls and demos. You may even go so far as to forecast this prospect on your sales report, assuring your manager that you’ll bring in the deal.

10 Warning Signs You May be in the No-Po Zone

If you find yourself in the No-Po zone, this can be a dangerous place. Here are 10 warning signs to watch out for:

1. They say no often without understanding what your solution is about. Remember, they cannot say yes.
2. They love talking with vendors and acting as though they have power.
3. They ask for a lot of busy work: more research, demos, competitive analyses, etc.
4. They ask lots of questions. Most of them are really good questions, and most require additional legwork on your part.
5. They really like your product/service and get it. They know how it fits in and how they would implement it.
6. They insist that vendors speak only with them and discourage any contact with their boss.
7. They usually don’t like to give their boss’s name and assure you they are your main contact.
8. They complain about not having any budget.
9. They stall and ask you to call back next quarter.
10. They schedule meetings that get rescheduled at the last minute because something more important took priority.

Learning to Let Go of No-Po’s

Even after we realize we are talking with a No-Po, it’s hard to let go. We believe that if we just hang in there, they’ll come around. Salespeople, unlike No-Po’s, are loyal. After spending months with a No-Po, we may believe we are “owed” the business. We may truly believe we are helping the No-Po convince their boss to buy. Meanwhile, the salesperson’s forecast has suffered because they haven’t closed the sale.

About the Author:

Josiane Feigon is the CEO of TeleSmart, a provider of inside sales training and coaching. She has trained 20-thousand-plus salespeople and still counting. Consistently recognized among The Top 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professionals, Feigon is one of the world’s leading experts on inside sales team and management talent. She is also a #1 Rated Inside Sales Training Bestselling author, speaker, and sales futurist. Follow her on Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, and join the conversation on Inside Sales 2.0 Trends Talk LinkedIn Group. If you want epic inside sales training for teams and managers, contact TeleSmart.

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