Stop trying to convince executives to adopt your priorities. Instead, identify their existing strategic initiatives—often with internal code names—and frame your solution as an accelerator for what they're already sold on doing. This dramatically reduces friction and speeds up deals.

True problem agreement isn't a prospect's excitement; it's their explicit acknowledgment of an issue that matters to the organization. Move beyond sentiment by using data, process audits, or reports to quantify the problem's existence and scale, turning a vague feeling into an undeniable business case.

To truly understand a prospect's decision-making process, ask for more than you expect to get, such as requesting to be part of their internal evaluation meeting. Even a "no" often prompts them to reveal more about their process, criteria, and stakeholders than a standard discovery question would.

Sellers often avoid scheduling a live proposal review because they fear creating friction. However, this avoidance is what causes prospects to ghost. A live walkthrough is essential to eliminate ambiguity, handle objections, and secure commitment, preventing the deal from stalling.

Before investing time to create a perfect offer, secure a conditional commitment by asking, 'If I can deliver on these specific things we've discussed, do we have a deal?' This tactic prevents the prospect from backing out to 'think about it' and ensures your efforts are aligned with a committed buyer.

Multi-threading isn't just a seller's tactic; it empowers the buyer. An internal champion feels more confident and strengthened when they can approach their CFO with the backing of two or three peers who also see the value. This shared internal momentum makes it easier for them to secure budget and push the deal forward.

Discussing pricing early doesn't mean you're in the proposal stage. True proposal and negotiation begins only after you have secured explicit agreement on the problem, the solution, and from the key decision-maker. At this point, the deal would close if it were free; price is the only remaining variable.

The design of your business case sends a powerful signal. A document covered in your company's branding screams "sales material" and is perceived as biased. Instead, use a plain white page with the customer's logo and list the internal buying team as the author to make it feel like an internal, co-created document.

Securing executive buy-in is its own sales stage, distinct from champion agreement. Don't just repeat the demo for the boss. Use executive-level tactics like reference calls with their peers, exec-to-exec meetings to build relationships, or roadmap presentations to sell the long-term vision and partnership.