Ali Chrisp, AE at trumpet, talks about a critical shift in sales thinking: meeting buyers where they are rather than forcing them through a rigid sales process.
Too often, sales teams follow a linear structure—Inbound Lead → Discovery → Demo → Close—without considering the buyer’s reality. But buyers don’t operate on our timelines, and treating them like they do can slow deals down, frustrate stakeholders, and damage trust.
Shifting the mindset: From process-driven to buyer-driven
Ali put it perfectly:
"Salespeople need to meet buyers where they are in their buying process, rather than forcing them through a sales process."
Instead of rushing prospects through a predefined path, top-performing AEs ask themselves:
📌 Who’s actually involved? – Buying decisions rarely rest on one person. Have you mapped out all stakeholders?
📌 What’s their process? – Does procurement, legal, or finance need to sign off? If so, when should they be involved?
📌 How can I help them decide faster? – Dumping content on different teams isn’t enough. How can you enable each stakeholder to move forward efficiently?
Becoming a trusted advisor
Buyers don’t need another salesperson pushing for a quick close—they need a trusted advisor who makes their job easier.
That means:
✅ Identifying roadblocks early (so you don’t hit them later)
✅ Guiding stakeholders through internal processes (not just handing them PDFs)
✅ Adapting to their pace (rather than forcing yours)
The result? Faster deals, stronger relationships, and a reputation as a true partner—not just another quota-chaser.
The best AEs never stop adapting
Sales is evolving, and rigid, one-size-fits-all processes are fading fast. If you want to stay ahead, stop pushing and start enabling.
Because the AEs who win? They meet buyers where they are.