The Buying Phase Most Salespeople Ignore

Most salespeople think they’re guiding the sale. In reality? They’re often misaligned with what buyers actually need at each stage.

The #1 Mistake That Stalls Deals

You can follow SPIN, MEDDIC, GAP Selling, or any other sales process—but if you ignore the Solution Criteria phase, your deal is at risk.

Why? Because most traditional sales processes are designed for sellers, not buyers.

Here’s what typically happens:

📍 The buyer identifies a problem.
📍 The seller jumps straight into pitching their solution.
📍 The buyer disengages—because they’re thinking about something else entirely.

What’s Really Going Through the Buyer’s Mind?

Instead of “Tell me why your company is the best,” they’re asking:

❓ “Why can’t I just do this with my current supplier?”
❓ “What unique solution criteria are needed to make this work?”
❓ “What would the business impact be if we moved forward?”
❓ “Has another company like mine done this successfully?”
❓ “If I bring this to management, how do I build a strong business case?”
❓ “Would this be a tactical move or a strategic advantage?”

Your job? Help them answer these questions before you ever talk about your product.

The Second Big Mistake: Ignoring Stakeholder Complexity

Selling isn’t about convincing one person—it’s about enabling many.

Most reps pitch their solution while their stakeholder is still stuck thinking:

💬 “How am I going to sell this internally?”
💬 “I can’t bring this to management without solid answers.”

Before you move to supplier selection, you need to help your stakeholder become a change champion—someone who sells for you when you’re not in the room.

How to Make Your Champion Sell for You

Learn from the master of influence, Robert Cialdini (Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion). Three of his principles can help you right now:

🔹 Authority – Use 3rd-party research. People trust external experts.
🔹 Social Proof – Show customer success stories from similar companies.
🔹 Reciprocity – Help build a business case for change before you ask for anything.

Bottom Line: Don’t Skip the Solution Criteria Phase

There’s a lot to do in this stage—ignoring it will cost you.

🚀 How do you handle this phase in your sales conversations? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇