What drives corporate buying

By Linda Julian

Many factors - often complex and intertwined - influence corporate buyers of legal and other expert professional services.

In approximately ascending order of importance, these are:

• your style
• a credible value proposition
• your experience and knowledge
• the referees you can offer
• your enthusiasm and apparent hunger to win the work
• the depth of your team
• the right skills on the team
• strong leadership of a well resourced team
• quality of relationship
• the clout and authority you bring to the project.

For some work in hotly contested areas, you’ll have to be spot on with each and every item to make the grade, such is the competition on the supply side.

But even in fields where you’re a hot commodity in high demand, be clear that your prospective client is working through these issues (mentally checking them off) before buying from you.