Latest / Closing the Deal with Fexingo: Sales, Negotiation, and Revenue Conversations for Operators / How One Rep Won by Asking for the Buyer's Personal Commitment
Transcript
- Lucas: So I want to talk about a sales move that, on the surface, sounds almost like a dare. It's the moment when a rep looks at a buyer and says, 'Will you personally champion this inside your organization? If this deal goes sideways, will you take accountability for it?' Luna: That is a high-stakes question. You're essentially asking them to put their reputation on the line for you. Lucas: Exactly. And most reps avoid it because they're afraid of killing the relationship. But I came across a case recently that flipped that assumption. It's from a mid-market SaaS company selling a workflow automation platform. The deal was about $180,000 annual contract value, which for that company was significant. Luna: What was the situation? Had it been dragging? Lucas: It had been in the pipeline for nearly seven months. The rep had done all the right things — mapped the org chart, built a business case, even gotten the buyer to co-create the solution. But it kept getting stuck in procurement. The buyer, a VP of Operations, kept saying he loved the platform, but 'the process has to run its course.' Luna: Right, the classic 'we need three more signatures' stall. Lucas: Exactly. So the rep tried something different. At the next meeting, she asked directly: 'John, if I get you a final proposal by Friday, will you personally take it to the CFO and tell them this is your recommendation? Not just forward an email — but sit down and walk them through it?' Luna: And what did John say? Lucas: He paused. Then he said, 'You know what, I haven't done that yet. I've been waiting for the process to push it forward.' And the rep said, 'That's exactly why it's stalled. You're the internal champion. If you don't own it, nobody else will.' Luna: So she essentially called him out, but in a constructive way. Did he take it well? Lucas: He did. He actually thanked her. He said, 'You're right. I've been passive. I'll make the case to the CFO next Tuesday.' And he did. The deal closed within two weeks. Luna: That's a great example of what I think of as the commitment consistency principle in action. Once he said he'd do it, he had to follow through to stay consistent with his own word. Lucas: Exactly. Psychologist Robert Cialdini wrote about this extensively. When someone makes a public commitment, they're far more likely to follow through — especially if it's voluntary and specific. The rep didn't pressure him; she just asked a question that forced him to examine his own role in the process. Luna: So when does this move work best? I imagine it's not for every deal. Lucas: It works best when three conditions are met. First, you've already built genuine rapport — you're not asking a stranger to risk their career. Second, the deal is genuinely stalled by internal inertia, not by a fundamental problem with your solution. And third, you have a clear ask — not 'will you support this?' but 'will you personally schedule a meeting with the CFO and present the business case?' Luna: The specificity is key. If you just ask for support, they can say yes and do nothing. But if you ask for a concrete action, you can follow up and hold them accountable. Lucas: Right. The rep I mentioned actually sent a calendar invite right there in the meeting for the follow-up. She said, 'Great, I'll send you the materials by Friday. Can we block an hour next Tuesday for you to present to the CFO? I'll be there to support, but you'll be leading.' Luna: That's a power move. She shifted from being a vendor to being a coach. She's not selling anymore; she's helping him sell internally. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a fundamentally different dynamic. The buyer becomes the advocate, and the rep becomes the enabler. It flips the power structure of the deal. Luna: I want to talk about the risk. What if the buyer says no? Or worse, what if they get offended? Lucas: That's the fear, and it's valid. But in practice, when framed correctly, the question actually builds trust. You're showing that you care enough about the deal — and about their time — to ask the hard question. If they get defensive, that's also useful information. It tells you they're not actually bought in yet, and you need to go back and strengthen the value case before you ask for commitment. Luna: So it's a diagnostic tool as much as a closing technique. Lucas: Exactly. If they hesitate or deflect, you haven't lost the deal — you've discovered a gap. Maybe they need more data to feel confident. Maybe they need you to talk to their boss. The question surfaces the real objection. Luna: I've seen this work in reverse too. I had a colleague who was buying a CRM system, and the sales rep asked him, 'On a scale of 1-10, how personally committed are you to making this happen?' My colleague said 7, and the rep said, 'What would it take to get to a 10?' And they had a real conversation about risk and confidence. Lucas: That's a beautiful variant. It's less confrontational but still forces the buyer to evaluate their own conviction. And it opens a dialogue about what's missing. Luna: So for a rep listening who wants to try this, what's the actual script? How do you bring it up naturally? Lucas: I'd start by acknowledging the progress you've made together. Then say something like, 'I know you're excited about this, but I want to make sure we don't lose momentum. Can I ask you a direct question? If we get the final pricing and terms in place, will you personally champion this to the decision makers? Not just forward it, but actively sell it internally?' Luna: That feels respectful. You're giving them an out, but also setting a clear expectation. Lucas: And if they say yes, you immediately lock in the next step. 'Great, let's schedule the internal presentation now.' That's the moment of truth. Luna: What about when the buyer says, 'I can't personally commit, I need to run it by my team'? That's a common response. Lucas: Then you say, 'I understand. Who on your team is the key decision maker? Can we set up a call together so I can help you build the case?' You're not accepting a vague 'I'll get back to you.' You're helping them navigate their own organization. Luna: It's almost like you're becoming a consultant on internal selling. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a high-value position to be in. The rep who masters this move can accelerate deals that would otherwise languish for months. Luna: If today was actually useful to you, the way these stay ad-free is listener support — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Just a low-key way to keep the conversations going. Lucas: Yeah, we appreciate that. And honestly, it's what lets us keep drilling into these specific moves without any commercial breaks. Luna: So back to the commitment ask — one thing I want to add is that this move also works post-sale. After the deal closes, you can ask the buyer to be a reference or to join a case study. That's another form of personal commitment. Lucas: Great point. And it deepens the relationship. Once they've gone on record publicly, they're even more invested in your success. It's a virtuous cycle. Luna: Alright, so to wrap: if you have a deal stuck in internal limbo, consider asking the buyer for a personal commitment. Not as a pressure tactic, but as a way to uncover real conviction and accelerate the process. Lucas: And if you try it, let us know how it goes. We'd love to hear a success story — or even a failure. Those are often more instructive. Luna: Thanks for listening, everyone. See you next time.