THE Key Performance Metric: The A/B Ratio. Part 1: Calling Below the Power Line

And how do we define the power line? The power line describes, separates, and differentiates two key types of buyers:

Buyers “Above the Power Line” may be described as those who:

1. View what you are selling as an investment in the business
2. Have the power to buy, or at minimum, participate in the decision-making process
3. Will give a seller access to other key buyers above the power line who will also participate in the buying decision
4. Have enough power to agree to all steps to take leading to a buy decision.

On the other hand, buyers “Below the Power Line” may be described as those who:

1. Do not have the power to buy, nor do they have the power to cause a decision to take place. They are influencers at best.
2. Often times shield sellers from the true buyers who are above the power line
3. May favor the competition or view the seller as their competition.

In the next post on this subject we will look at the significant negative organizational impact of calling “Below the Power Line”, and how managing top-down to the A/B Ratio can help. In the final post we will look at the specific, integrated steps that sales executives, sales managers, and sellers should take to resolve this issue.

Go to: Part Two