This is the 1st of 8 B2B Sales Strategies in this series. Which strategy you select is based on where you are at on 3 elements: Time, Velocity and Position.
These strategies were developed across 1000s of B2B deals that involved intense competition, had multiple evaluation criteria and occurred in rapidly changing business conditions.
The Power of a Direct Approach
The Direct Strategy is best used when you have a superior product, strong executive relationships, clearly defined value proposition and a compelling business event driving the timeframe for a close.
In hyper-competitive sales environments, the simple and straight path is the preferred and most effective strategy. The Direct or Push Strategy is about moving decisively toward a close when you are in a position of strength. Unlike other strategies that rely on maneuvering or repositioning, the Direct Strategy capitalizes on clarity, momentum, and dominance.
A well-executed Direct Strategy allows sellers to overwhelm the competition, eliminate buyer hesitation, and forecast a close with a high degree of confidence.
However, a Direct Strategy requires precise conditions — pushing forward without the right foundation can backfire, leading to unnecessary concessions, stalled deals, or losses.
Also, an over-reliance on the direct strategy alone is dangerous.
It’s like a major league baseball pitcher who can only throw a fastball. Or a Tour Golfer who plays the course with just a putter. Unfortunately, for many salespeople, it’s the only strategy they’ve developed. They just try pushing harder or increasing speed when conditions warrant a change in strategy.
High-performing sales professionals have command of multiple deals strategies. They shift their strategy to meet competitive challenges, changing business conditions or shifting decision criteria.
When to Use the Direct Strategy
The Direct Strategy is most effective when you have power in the following areas:
Velocity.
This is speed + direction. Speed is just going fast so a lot of activity occurring quickly on its own is not adequate. Your planned activity should always be assessed for its ability to increase your velocity which you need to power you through to the close.
Consider alternative strategies if you do not have adequate deal velocity. Would you keep driving your car with a flat tire?
Time.
You have alignment with your Buyer on the timing of closing the transaction. If you are also strong in Velocity & Position, you could be able to ‘compress’ time and accelerate the close. One way to do this is through the discovery and position of ‘compelling events’. These are business events or goals the buyer has that your offering will impact and compels your buyer to accelerate the transaction. Consider alternative deal strategies if you have not defined any compelling events with your Buyer.
Position. This is your location or where you are at on a transaction. There are 4 points of the compass that determine your location:
1. Power – you need to be bridged to power. You do that by establishing a relationship or have contact with 4 types of personas:
a. Executives – the business leader(s) who understands the impact your offering will have on their business. These are the visionaries guiding the direction of the company.
b. Users – these are the direct beneficiaries of your offering.
c. Managers – they are the indirect beneficiary of your offering. They may have budget responsibility or benefit from productivity gains their team gets from using your offering.
d. Operations – these are the people who protect the business. This could be legal, procurement, IT, HR, etc.
You should have either direct contact or communication with each of these personas. Do it yourself but its best if you bridge people of similar personas from your team with the Buyers’. If you are selling to a smaller company and 1 person wears multiple hats, engage each of these personas with that person. Consider alternative deal strategies if you are single threaded (just 1 contact).
2. Value - the buyer acknowledges and understands your unique value proposition. There are 6 types of value each with increasing levels of value. Consider alternative deal strategies if you are only positioning the efficiency value prop (my offering will help you do your job faster, better, cheaper). This is the weakest of the value props and is the cause of most deals slipping past your forecast date.
3. Profile - you have researched and define the profile of the buyer and your competitors. There are 16 potential profile elements that you can map. They give you insights into how they will buy and, in the case of competitors, how they will sell. Some profile elements are size, rate of growth, propensity to buy, industry and stage of growth among others. Consider alternative deal strategies if you are unable to get enough data to map your buyer’s profile.
4. Process – you and the Buyer have a clear understanding of your selling process and their buying process, and they are aligned. This also includes that the buyer’s internal purchasing, legal, and procurement processes are in sync with your timeline. Consider alternative deal strategies if the buying process is not clearly defined and agreed to.
When these elements are in place, the Direct Strategy enables swift deal closure by leveraging confidence, urgency, and control.
Executing a Direct Strategy Effectively
The key to successfully executing a Direct Strategy is to create unstoppable momentum—ensuring that once the deal is in motion, it becomes inevitable. A Direct Strategy thrives on momentum and conviction. Here’s how to implement it for maximum impact:
1. Push the Deal to a Direct Close
Eliminate friction. Friction is caused by the misalignment between Buyer and Seller on processes that can slow down the deal. Examples include lack of alignment on the timing of the close or hidden influencers (snipers) working against the deal.
Use high-conviction messaging. Speak in terms of certainty, not possibilities.
Lead the buyer through the finish line. Set clear next steps and deadlines.
2. Overwhelm the Competition
If competitors are still in play, suffocate them with superior positioning. Put your knee on their throat and don’t let up until the deal is executed. I would not quit. Would you?
Emphasize why your solution is the only viable choice.
Cut off their leverage—address any remaining objections proactively.
3. Define the Risk/Expense of a No-Decision
Frame inaction as the most expensive and risky option.
Use financial and operational impact analysis to show what’s at stake.
Highlight opportunity cost—what the buyer loses by delaying.
4. Limit Concessions – Only Pay a Small ‘Toll’
Offer only a minor discount or executive-level perk if necessary.
Avoid the trap of endless negotiations—push toward commitment.
If the buyer pushes back, reiterate urgency and impact rather than discounting further.
5. Communicate an Aggressive, High-Weight Forecast
This deal should be high-confidence, high-priority in your forecast.
Keep pressure on both party’s internal teams (legal, finance, etc.) to meet the timeline.
If any internal blockers arise, escalate quickly to maintain deal velocity.
Why the Direct Strategy Works
A well-executed Direct Strategy creates deal inevitability—the buyer perceives zero risk in moving forward while seeing maximum downside in delaying. Your conversations turn to implementation and adoption of your offering.
Fast execution: Minimal friction means deals close faster.
Clear differentiation: You win by positioning strength, not reactive concessions.
Competitor elimination: Opponents are either outpaced or rendered irrelevant.
Why the Direct Strategy Does Not Work
Misusing the Direct Strategy—pushing too hard without the right conditions—can cause resistance, delays, or competitive repositioning. Situational awareness is critical.
Conclusion: Control the Close
The Direct Strategy is about certainty, dominance, and velocity. If you control the narrative, timing, and momentum, you control the deal.
If you don’t close decisively, your competition—or indecision—will do it for you.
Many sales teams’ default to Direct or Discounting Strategies, without considering alternative strategies both of which can be losing plays. The best approach is to evaluate your competitive position before selecting a strategy on a regular basis.
✅ Use Direct when you have clear superiority.
✅ Use Indirect when the competition is stronger but predictable.
✅ Use Divisional when the buyer is already fragmented.
✅ Use Maneuver when competitors are ignoring key opportunities.
✅ Use Trail when you can attach to market momentum.
✅ Use Surround when multiple stakeholders influence the deal.
✅ Use Containment when you need to slow a competitor’s lead.
✅ Use Attrition when you can afford to outlast them.
Navigation:
This Direct strategy is the 1st of the 8 Compass Sales Strategies in this Deal Strategy Series.
Each strategy serves a specific purpose in different competitive deal scenarios. The next essay: The Indirect or Pull Strategy.
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.
This was written while listening to ‘Shape of Sense’ by Faro.
Artwork: Ice Time by Aidan.
