I need to draw on the experience of the WR here.
So bit of a situation, I have a very large prospect I have been working on for 12 months now, its felt like we have gotten close several times but just not quite got it there.
Last week I learned my main competitor was travelling to the same city as this client and was having a steak dinner with someone. They have other clients in this city but I cant help but feel its fairly likely they were wining and dining this client. My competitor also told me directly that "they have almost got it over the line" (I don't think they are aware we are involved, at least it doesn't seem so).
In my last meeting with said prospect, I gleaned that we were likely in second place and I think this is largely down to a mistake I have made on the last two visits I have had with the prospect being fairly low key impromptu meetings which have been more of an "update" rather than going through key business. The last time I presented our full solution was a year ago, the rest of the meetings have been touching on various bits of our offering but not a full sit down to go through our proposal (they are quite hard to set up with so often meetings are last minute).
Because in my last meeting I realized I had made this mistake, i asked that we could have another meeting to go through our full proposal so we have a fair shot against our competition which they said they would give us.
We are now on the week they said to reconnect and I am now a bit spooked by the fact my competition was in town wining and dining someone who I assume to be this customer and just wondering how to turn this around.
I know for a fact we meet more of the needs than my competition and we are better placed to support them however I feel my personal relationship with this client is a few steps behind and thats hurting my chances at the moment.
I think I know what I have to do but would be glad to get any experiences here in the wr.
I am not too proud to hold my hand up and admit my last few meetings I should have set up better but this customer is very very difficult to tie down so I have been trying to take the low key walk and talk meeting approach but I think that is what has bitten me.
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