Guiding the Decision Criteria

This blueprint introduces a structured approach for shaping buyer decision criteria using impact as the organizing principle. It explains why uneducated buyers rely on weighted checklists, while educated buyers make decisions based on revenue, cost, and experience impact. By guiding prospects through identifying criteria, comparing options, ranking based on impact, and revisiting priorities, sellers can improve their position, reduce price pressure, and help buyers make more confident, value-driven decisions.

Best For

• Sales leaders and account executives selling into competitive or crowded markets

• CROs and revenue leaders looking to improve win rates without discounting

• Enterprise and mid-market sales teams navigating complex buying decisions

• GTM enablement teams teaching consultative, impact-based selling

• Founders and early sales leaders helping buyers make confident selections

• Organizations experiencing feature-based bake-offs and price pressure

Key Takeaways

• Buyers default to feature weighting when impact is unclear.

• Impact reframes decision criteria around what truly matters to the business.

• Sellers can improve their position by reshaping criteria, not arguing against them.

• New criteria can be introduced when unique impact exists.

• Price typically has the least impact on long-term outcomes.

• Educating buyers leads to better decisions and higher-quality deals.