BANT, GPCT, and WTF.

Every once in a while, I have a conversation with coworkers about the new acronyms that invade our workplace in order to help us sell better.

BANT and GPTC are the hottest ones out there.

While I always appreciate new ideas, I often wonder why we make sales so difficult.  

It really isn't about silly acronyms, but it should be more about

1. Finding a need (or three of them)
2. Fulfilling that need with a solution
3. Asking for the business.

I have simplified it, right?  Thats really it though.  

Sure, you must navigate to the correct person, and you must navigate the timing...but do we really need these acronyms?  Here are some of my made up acronyms with some things that you should consider on a sales call, coordinated with some acronyms that have other meanings.

LOL - 

• Listening - Listen to your prospect.  Show your prospect solutions to their problems, and be sure to probe enough to get the pain.  You have two ears and one mouth....that ratio is there for a reason.
• Official Capacity - Make sure that your prospect is in an official capacity to actually buy your product.  You should only be working with these people....If you aren't, you will find a hard time selling.
• Luck - While luck isn't a major force in sales, I have vend that some things happen because the stars aligned for an unknown reason.  i have had good luck and bad luck.  Put yourself in a position to act on any good luck that may come your way.  Follow up with a prospect that you haven't spoken with in a while.  You may get lucky.

ROFLMAO:

• Riches - Does the prospect have the money to pay for our product?  This is a pretty important thing to know
• Opportunity - Is this a real opportunity, or am i just wasting my time?  I hear about salespeople wasting their times on tiny opportunities.  
• Flake - Is this prospect going to flake out on me at the end of the month?  It happens to the best of us.  Avoid this with upfront contracts.
• Longing - Is there a genuine need for our product?  If your product does not fulfill their needs,then why waste everyone's time?
• Moron - Is the prospect a moron?  Are they really going to get it?  Plenty of morons out there.
• Audacity - Is the prospect brave enough to pull the trigger on this?  Fear of a bad decision is paralyzing.  see Analysis Paralysis
• Organizational Buy-In - Does the prospect have organizational buy in?  Sometimes, many people within an organization need to agree on this.  Have you spoken with all the decision makers and decision influencers?

BAM!:

• Bravery - Does the prospect have the cohones to sign on the dotted line?
• Authority - Does the prospect have the authority to sign on the dotted line?
• Moment of Truth - Is there an urgency for the prospect to sign on the dotted line?

WTF?:

• Wounds - Does the prospect have enough wounds so that purchasing your product is the only legitimate possibility
• Timely - Is this the right time for them to address these issues
• Fortitude - Intestinal fortitude is what your prospect will need to make the tough decision of purchasing

After further review, this is all just sales mumbo jumbo BS.  If you need an acronym to sell, then you probably need to rethink your schtick.

Just go out and understand what your prospects need to succeed...and provide it them.  It really is that simple....Which reminds me of my favorite acronym.  KISS

• Keep
• It
• Simple
• Stupid.

Mike

PS:  If you happen to enjoy acronyms, here are a few other ones (real ones)

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