The Prospecting Pyramid

What is Business Development?

3 Key Ingredients to convert Prospects into Customers.

Cooked up by ancients and proven by neuroscience.

Aristotle identified Three Modes of Persuasion:
1. Logos (logic)
2. Pathos (emotion)
3. Ethos (credibility)

To win a deal, you must propose a solution that is:

1. Compliant = PURPOSE = Logos

Did you present a solution that delivers on the prospect’s Extrinsic requirements (the Features) that will help them Survive?

If your prospect thinks you don't meet their Purpose...
Sympathetic Nervous System [Fight or Flight] kicks into survival mode.

2. Compelling = EMPATHY = Pathos

Did you present a solution that delivers on the prospect’s Intrinsic requirements (the Benefits) to help them Thrive?

3. Credible = TRUTH = Ethos

Will your solution truly deliver on Promises?

If your prospect believes you're untruthful....
Their SNS kicks into survival mode.

Without Purpose and Truth, the prospect leaves (takes flight).

Empathy is the most critical part of a prospector's job.

Here's why:

Empathy triggers the prospect’s desire for self-determination (Thrive).

Exploring and influencing the prospect’s intrinsic requirements builds Intimacy.

Self Determination Theory (SDT): a prospect’s intrinsic motivations are...
·  Competence: Skills and intellectual mastery
·  Autonomy: Freedom to act on their purpose
·  Relatedness: Trusting and mutually beneficial relationships

Intimacy compells your prospect to purchase.

Intimacy provides a big competitive advantage...

* Steinman and Karpinski (2009) found Implicit (intrinsic), not Explicit (extrinsic) requirements accurately forecasted prospect conversion.

* 66% of customers expect prospectors to Empathize but, only 34% of prospectors actually do it!

* Customers with Intimacy are 52% more valuable than others.

So, the prospector’s job is to truthfully gather and shape the prospect’s Extrinsic and Intrinsic requirements so the corporation may present a winning proposal that is Compliant, Compelling, and Credible.

Purpose + Empathy + Truth = TRUST

So, you must ensure the prospect trusts you will help them survive and thrive.

Tony Gray, BDP
Author of the Business Development Body of Knowledge

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