post 3 of 12 — inspired by “the art of war,” the sun tzu masterpiece from the 6th century bc. instead of the treatise’s original purpose (military strategy), the subject matter here has been adapted to inform business strategy. a note here first: some of the sensibilities may seem counter-intuitive to a western mind. they derive in eastern thought and, because of this, can take a bit of adjustment. the art of war has inspired many of the world’s great generals, ceos and coaches to success — regardless of the battlefield. i’m hoping it does the same for your business.
the topic for this post is a twist on the art of war’s passages on the preferred method for winning wars. sun tzu believed “the best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord — before there are any actual hostilities…it is best to win without fighting.” in sales, the equivalent would be the concept of selection. it is a subtle form of conquer where consequences and best paths are detailed and chosen — as opposed to engaging in longer, more arduous negotiations.
generally, there are two paths that every pitch can follow — a hard-sold path (a “take it or leave it” or a “my way or the highway” type of approach) or a range of reasonable yet escalating options (sometimes as few as a pair of options). sun tzu would advise the latter. why? the former charges up opposing sides for a battle, where they could be casualties and uneasy resolution. the reality in sales is that few consumers are patient, comfortable or passionate about being sold something. when something is pitched with options — where each path has received careful attention to detail and has merit — there is less pressure and conflict. the consumer is free to select what’s best for him or her.
