Close More Business: Make Your Intelligence More Strategic
Almost everyone involved in B2B sales today uses sales intelligence tools like ZoomInfo, Gong, Sales Navigator, Salesforce, and HubSpot. You gather the data so you know how to sell to the buyer.
But, what if you have all of the intelligence tools and you still struggle to make your number?
This essay explains why that may be happening and what to do about it.
How Most Sellers Operate Today
Intelligence Gathering:
Use ZoomInfo/Apollo for company data and contacts
Track buyer activity from 6sense/Bombora for engagement timing
Monitor trigger events like funding and leadership changes
Track historical activity in Salesforce and HubSpot
Create buyer personas and set up company news alerts
Tactical Execution:
Use direct/push approach to drive deals forward
Lead with an efficiency value proposition highlighting product features
Personalize messaging based on company data
Follow standard sales processes and methodologies
When New Intelligence Arrives:
Update CRM records and adjust messaging
Modify outreach timing based on trigger events
Share insights with team members
Continue current approach with updated information
Could This Be Your Issue?
AI is changing the buying process.
1. AI-Era Intelligence Requirements
Current tools track traditional buyer behavior and company data
Missing: Which LLM powers their AI buying agent (GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, proprietary)
Missing: AI agent's defined role (Screener, Evaluator, Recommender, Decision-maker)
Missing: What evaluation criteria it's programmed with (Cost, features, risk, strategic fit)
Missing: Who configured the AI agent and how (IT, procurement, business users)
2. Complete Sales Terrain Mapping
Current: Focus on buyer company data only
Current: Assessing only 5-10 Profile elements
Missing: Complete map of all four company profiles that impact deal outcomes
Missing: Competitor profile, strategic relationships, value positioning
Missing: Partner influence, alliance opportunities, and potential blockers
Missing: Your own company's actual market position and competitive positioning
3. Intelligence Application
Current: Use intelligence for tactical adjustments - messaging, timing, pain points, use cases
Current: Adjust how you sell (tactics) but remain weak in changing who, what, when, where and why you sell (strategy)
Missing: Intelligence that shows where to create power to compress time, accelerate velocity, and improve position
4. Strategy Selection
Current: 90% of sellers have one deal strategy - Direct/Push - regardless of intelligence or terrain changes
Current: Push for the close even when not in a position of strength or competitive advantage
Missing: Multiple strategy options based on terrain assessment and power position
5. Continuous Adaptation
Current: Update CRM records and adjust messaging when new intelligence arrives
Current: Treat strategy as a static plan set at the beginning of the sales process
Missing: Recognition that a selected deal strategy can become obsolete in minutes due to market changes
How You Can Fix This
The Strategic Intelligence Solution:
Transform from tactical intelligence gathering to strategic terrain mapping that informs deal strategy selection. Instead of updating CRM records and personalizing emails, use systematic intelligence to select optimal approaches from multiple strategic options.
Map Four-Company Terrain: Strategic selling requires intelligence on four companies, not just one to give you deal map with a 360 view of the terrain:
1. Buyer Company Intelligence
Focus: Complete profile across 25 strategic elements
Strategic Value: Reveals timing, priority, and clues to how they buy.
2. Seller Company Intelligence
Focus: Actual market position, competitive perception, relationship strength
Strategic Value: Shows how competitors and buyers are going to come at you
3. Competitor Company Intelligence
Focus: Positioning strategy, methodology, relationship depth, likely responses
Strategic Value: Enables counter-positioning and strategic outmaneuvering
4. Partner Company Intelligence
Focus: Current vendor relationships, integration opportunities, strategic influence
Strategic Value: Identifies coalition opportunities or potential blockers
The 25 Profile Elements Framework: Organize intelligence gathering across five strategic categories.
I. What's Changing Right Now (Monitor for immediate opportunities)
Profile Signal Monitoring - Track shifts that trigger strategic moves
Revenue per Employee (RPE) - Signals digital sophistication and operational leverage
External Events & Market Shifts - Market forces creating urgency and budget availability
AI Buyer Agent Readiness - Reveals if AI agents are evaluating vendor proposals
AI Operating Architecture - Maps AI integration in operations and decision-making
Competitor AI Maturity - Competitors using AI-enhanced selling capabilities
AI Risk Posture - Compliance concerns affecting AI solution adoption speed
II. Can They Buy and Implement? (Assess capacity and readiness)
8. Digital Maturity - Technology readiness and adoption capacity
9. Operating Infrastructure - Systems compatibility and integration requirements
10. Innovation Readiness - Openness to change and new approaches
11. Risk Tolerance - Decision-making speed and boldness indicators
12. Propensity to Buy - Likelihood of near-term purchasing based on patterns
13. Capitalization - Financial capacity for investment and budget availability
III. Are They a Good Fit? (Evaluate strategic alignment)
14. Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Fit - Alignment with your target market
15. Market Profile - Timing, competition, and demand signals
16. Competitive Profile - Their market differentiation strategy
17. Culture - Decision-making dynamics and values
18. Business Structure - Ownership impact on buying processes
IV. Who Influences the Deal? (Map decision networks)
19. Partner Profile - Strategic allies and potential blockers
20. Competitor Profile - Existing vendor relationships and influence
21. Region or Location - Local regulations and cultural factors
22. Industry - Compliance requirements and use case framing
V. Where New Opportunities Open (Identify strategic windows)
23. Rate of Growth - Growth acceleration creating urgency and budget
24. Stage of Growth - Lifecycle transitions generating new requirements
25. Size - Scale changes triggering new operational challenges
Select Strategy Based on Terrain:
Use intelligence to choose from 8 strategic approaches based on your power position across 6 key areas (Time, Velocity, People Engagement, Value Positioning, Profile Mapping, Process Alignment):
High Power: Direct or Indirect approaches
Medium Power: Divisional, Maneuver, or Trail strategies
Low Power: Surround, Attrition, or Challenge approaches
Deliver What AI-Informed Buyers Need: AI-powered buyers complete 80% of their process before engaging salespeople. When they do, they need Human Sellers to provide:
Use cases and ROI - Practical application and financial justification
Proprietary intelligence - Information not available through AI research
Internal selling support - Help champions socialize solutions while providing political cover
Additional value discovery - ROI opportunities buyers haven't identified
Business Impact:
Companies implementing strategic intelligence report:
35% reduction in sales cycle length
23% increase in close rates
40% decrease in discount pressure
60% improvement in forecast accuracy
Start with One High-Value Opportunity:
Apply the four-company terrain mapping and 25-element framework to your most important deal. Build complete intelligence, select optimal strategy, and monitor for changes. Use this as proof of concept before scaling across your pipeline.
The seller with the superior intelligence strategy and systematic approach to deal strategy selection closes more business at higher margins. The question is: Will you continue updating CRM records, or will you start mapping terrain strategically?
Imagine
Sellers that think strategically and execute intelligently, creating power through better decisions, faster adaptation, and stronger positioning.
This is about what's possible in today’s market. Not fixing what's broken in the old one.
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I train sales professionals, business leaders, and their AI agents on Sales and Deal strategies using the Compass AI Sales Strategy system. This training acts as a force multiplier, empowering you and your AI agents to work in alignment to win business and exceed your number in competitive environments. Feel free to reach out if I can help you with strategy. It will have a significant impact. Learn more at www.northstar8.com
This was written while listening to Ryan Harris.
