Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas in “Wall Street”) quotes Sun Tzu in this scene:
How can this quote apply to enterprise sales specifically?
And, what are the main ways you can put yourself in the best position possible to win a deal before you ever even book the first meeting? How much of it is account preparation, how much of it is mental focus, and how much of it is outside of your control?
Yeah, that’s my favorite sales movie right there. And I like that scene. Plus it sets up Bud Fox quoting Sun Tzu later on. “If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight, and if not split and reevaluate.”
To me the “Every battle is won before it’s ever fought” quote is more about a mentality than anything else. It starts there. Being able to visualize a victory helps you create the route there. If you’re stuck looking at the next 5 minutes ahead of you then you miss the big picture.
It aint easy to do. The great sellers can probably do it all the time. And I think approaching any account requires there to be a belief you can close it, because you have the solution for their need, and you will build the relationships to get things to the finish line.
if you can’t see out to the finish line, you’ve probably already lost.