How to sell complex products

When you sell to the public, the range of buyers is much wider. You can get away with not doing your homework, or by using transactional tactics like trying to close quickly by pushing buyers through the deal as fast as you can.

With businesses, especially as they get bigger, the tools they use and the buyers themselves, become more sophisticated (on average). So your approach needs to be different.

This matters most when you’re selling something complex like software or AI. Your goal isn’t to close the deal as quickly as possible. That can actually work against you.

What you want to do is remove the friction in front of the buyer, so they can arrive at the right decision themselves.

Buyers get stuck when products are complex because

1. It’s not as easy to see the value or picture it working in their business.
2. It feels risky because it usually affects multiple areas of their business.

These two concerns will keep coming up in their mind throughout the buying process. Your role therefore, is to paint a picture of what the end state would look like for them, and how to minimise their risk.

Move 1

Every business will have budget for more revenue or lower costs. Lead with the outcome, and then bring the tools in afterwards. The more precise and bespoke the numbers are to their business, the better. Never exaggerate. If anything, downplay it. It’s how you stay away from being categorised as the “salesman.”

Move 2

Ideally, any demo you provide should be based on their real work, or data. If that’s not possible, the goal is to get it as close to their world as you can. Generic demos are a last resort.

Move 3

Make it easy for them to say yes. Proposing a full project up front is a big ask, and it’s risky. This is why a pilot can be so powerful. Set an end date with agreed milestones. It’s less commitment for them, and you reduce risk. Making it more likely for you to get a yes. When you manage their risk like this, you’ll also look like you know what you’re doing and it’s a hint towards how you will operate during an actual implementation.

It’s your job to clear the obstacles, so that the buyer comes to a decision themselves. That’s how you end up with well informed, happy customers. The kind of customers who will always recommend you.

Cheers,

P.S. If someone came to mind while reading this, forward it to them. “Four minutes, worth it” does the job.

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