本文系《千分之一训练营》采购导师Kons的分享。Kons拥有30年欧洲电子产品品牌商，LED品牌商高管经验，管理多个电子产品，LED国际销售及采购项目。
*以下内容为译文
这种情况我遇到过很多次，一家项目销售公司在销售流程矩阵（销售流程第一部分）的所有阶段顺利推进，投入大量时间和金钱到销售工具中（样品、现场试验、效果图和可视化确认、项目规格等），但最后订单在最后一刻被竞争对手抢走。
在项目销售不想“最后时刻被撬单”，就必须在整个销售过程中采取积极主动的行动：
通过建立信任来发展牢固的关系：与关键利益相关者建立牢固的关系。定期沟通，对他们的需求和挑战表现出真正的兴趣。
理解他们的需求：深入了解客户的痛点、目标和决策标准。根据这些具体需求量身定制解决方案。
保持频繁、定期的沟通，坦诚地解决任何新出现的问题。
提供卓越的独特卖点（USP），使用如总拥有成本（TCO）、投资回报率（ROI）和案例研究等销售工具，体现专业度，并提供过去成功的实际证据。
确保早期承诺：提出试点或分阶段实施计划，以确保初步承诺和展示价值。在最终合同签署前，签署意向书（LOI），以示承诺。通过在该项目上投入资源来激发积极性。
预测竞争对手的行动：了解竞争对手的活动和策略。如果竞争对手开始提出提案和提供测试样品，这表明客户可能正在与他们分享你的样品、测试结果、规格等。你需要主动向客户表达你的反对意见和担忧，明确他们不能和竞争对手共享你的信息。
加强合同协议中的独家性条款：在可能的情况下，包含独家性条款或规定，阻止客户在某些项目里程碑之后考虑与你的竞争对手合作。或者，在合同中加入一些条款——用于在项目中，因竞争对手而延误或取消合作时保护自己的利益。
通过实施以上策略，可以减少你在最后时刻被抢单的风险，增大获得项目的几率。和客户建立牢固的关系，保持持续性互动，别忘了，提供独到的卖点是确保客户承诺和忠诚的关键要素。
*以下内容为原文
How to avoid “last minute order theft” by competition (in project-based sales)?
Several times I met with this situation when a Сompany a project-seller was successfully moving through all the stages of the Sales Process matrix (see my Selling Process Part 1), investing a lot of time and money into selling tools (samples, field trials, rendering and visualizations, project specifications, etc.) and finally the order was granted at the very last point to the Competitor…
Avoiding “last-minute theft” by competition in project-based sales requires proactive actions throughout the entire sales process:
1
Develop Strong Relationships by building trust: establish a strong rapport with key stakeholders. Regularly communicate and demonstrate a genuine interest in their needs and challenges.
Understand Their Needs: Deeply understand the client’s pain points, goals, and decision-making criteria. Tailor your solutions to address these specific needs.
2
Maintain frequent and regular communication, openly address any emerging concerns
3
Deliver Exceptional USP, use-selling tools like TCO, ROI, and Case Studies, and provide evidence of past successes.
4
Secure Early Commitments: propose a pilot program or a phased implementation to secure initial commitment and demonstrated value. Sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) as a sign of commitment before the final contract is signed. Motivate it by spending your resources on this project.
5
Anticipate Competitive Moves: stay informed about your competitors’ activities and strategies. The fact that your Competitors begin making Proposals, and samples for testing, shows that maybe the Client is sharing your ones (samples, test results, specs, etc.) with them. Proactively address to the Client your objections and concerns that they cannot share your information with your Competitors.
6
Strengthen Contractual Agreement with Exclusivity Clause: Where possible, include exclusivity clauses or stipulations discouraging the Client from considering competitors after certain project milestones. Alternatively, include provisions that protect your interests if the project is delayed or canceled due to a Competitor.
By implementing these strategies, you can reduce the risk of last-minute order theft and increase your chances of securing the project. Building strong relationships, maintaining continuous engagement, and delivering exceptional USP are key components to ensuring client commitment and loyalty.