Too often, we think we know the answer. We know our clients pain points. We know the solutions they need. We know how much they should budget for it. Unfortunately, what we purport to know is rarely what actually happens. Prospects may delay a purchase, alter implementation timelines or even go down an entirely different path. When this happens, IT sales professionals and implementation teams are often surprised, feeling that the change of plan came out of nowhere. If you pay attention, however, you’ll pick up cues along the way that can keep these surprises from arising.

Listen to the market – from your prospects to spectators – and you’ll gather important insights that can help you through any sales cycle or implementation project. Pay attention to your clients and prospects, and note every detail. If they mention uncertainty about a particular direction, dig deeper instead of trying to talk them around to your point of view. In the end, the odds that you’ll change their minds are low, especially if their questions (and, later, decisions) are being driven by pressure from the C-suite. Take their lead when there’s an issue or concern, however, and you become more likely to win the business. It may not look like what you expected to close, but it’s one more opportunity closed – and not handed over to your competitors.

Don’t allow yourself to be trapped by your expectations. Rather, focus on your client, diagnose the challenges facing the organization and put together a solution that solves the problem. Align yourself with the opportunity instead of past experience, and you’ll find the sales process to be much easier.