How to Sell to My Customer When They Need to Sell to Their Customer First (Ask Jeb)

Zack in Defiance, Ohio, faces a unique challenge that might sound specific at first but is more common than you think: he can only close a deal if his customer closes a deal of their own first. In other words, they must “sell” a project to their own clients before Zack’s solution can come into play. This scenario appears in industries like construction, engineering, software licensing, and more. The conversation with Zack revealed practical strategies you can use to overcome these hurdles and keep your own pipeline healthy. Welcome to another Ask Jeb segment on the Sales Gravy Podcast! I’m Jeb Blount—bestselling author of Fanatical Prospecting, Objections, Sales EQ, and INKED. In each of these special episodes, we shine a spotlight on your questions, challenges, and roadblocks—offering real-world advice from sales pros who are in the trenches every single day. 1. Recognize the Real-World Obstacles Whether your customer has to bid on government contracts, secure large client projects, or get internal buy-in from multiple stakeholders, their success dictates your sale. While it’s easy to be frustrated by this extra layer, it’s crucial to acknowledge a few realities: -- Your Customer’s Motivation: They’re laser-focused on winning their own deal. Your product or service is secondary—important, but not top of mind until they’re assured of a win. -- Lead Time: Deals can stretch out because you’re waiting on an entire chain of approvals or external decisions. -- Competition: If your customers finally land the big deal, they might still shop around to find the best supplier, leaving you in a second round of competition. Understanding these pressures helps you empathize with your buyer. It also positions you to offer support in ways that make them want to stick with you—rather than jumping to a competitor at the eleventh hour. 2. Be a Genuine Partner, Not a Peddler It’s tempting to keep nudging your buyers with hard-closing tactics, but that rarely works when they haven’t secured their own contract. Instead, pivot to a mindset of partnership: Build Real Relationships Invest time getting to know your buyer on a personal level. Talk about local sports teams, industry news, or shared hobbies. Real rapport fosters loyalty. When your customer finally wins their deal, they’ll feel comfortable turning to a friend—you—for the solution they need. Offer Strategic Expertise If your offering requires complex configurations or specialized knowledge, step in as a consultant. For instance, share best practices on how to optimize a design, or explain how to streamline a process. By helping them present stronger bids or more compelling proposals, you become integral to their success. Stay Responsive If they’re scrambling to nail down specifics for a bid, be the easiest person on their call list. Quick turnaround times and thorough answers showcase that you’re a reliable partner. Nobody wants a vendor who goes dark when the pressure is on. 3. Avoid Becoming a “Quote Factory” One of the biggest pitfalls in this scenario is turning into a “quote factory” who does piles of work for prospects who never buy. While it’s true you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, you also waste valuable hours if you keep shooting at targets that never pan out. -- Track Buying History Look at your records: are there customers or accounts for which you consistently provide proposals and never see a sale? Identify these patterns. -- Have Candid Conversations Let them know your time and expertise aren’t free. You’re happy to help, but if they continually choose other suppliers or undercut your prices, you need to reevaluate the partnership. Sometimes, a direct discussion is enough to shift their approach and earn you real business. If not, you can focus on more promising leads. -- Prioritize Strategic Deals If you’re caught up producing endless quotes for “long-shot” clients, you’ll lack bandwidth to develop deeper relationships where you can add real value. By focusing your time on viable buyers who have a history of awarding you the deal—or who show strong potential—you improve your overall win probability. 4. Arm Them to “Sell You” Internally Even if you’re not strictly dealing with a bid environment, many of us rely on champions who must pitch our solutions to higher-ups. They effectively “resell” what we offer inside their organization. To help them succeed: Provide Clear, Concise Value Propositions Offer bullet-pointed benefits, case studies, and ROI data they can share internally—without overwhelming them. Simplicity wins. Volunteer Your Presence In some cases, you can join a call or meeting with executives. This direct access gives you a chance to handle objections and demonstrate credibility first-hand. Check In Without Hovering Balanced follow-up is key. Too many check-ins can feel pushy. Too few and you disappear from their radar. Develop a steady, empathetic cadence that ensures you remain top-of-mind. 5. Bend the Win Probability in Your Favor Remember, you don’t control whether your customers win their own deals, but you do control your approach to the relationship. If you focus on becoming indispensable, customers will fight to include you when it’s time to deliver. -- Stay Price-Competitive, But Don’t Race to the Bottom If your margin is too high, your customer might choose someone else. However, if you’re always the lowest-priced vendor, you risk becoming a commodity. Earn business through value and trust. -- Provide Critical Insights If you can highlight cost savings, faster implementation, or greater efficiency—particularly in ways your competitors haven’t—your customer has a stronger pitch to their client or internal stakeholders. -- Expand Your Network Speak with multiple stakeholders. If one contact disappears or the champion moves on, having other relationships in the organization can keep your deal alive. 6. Final Thoughts Even if you’re not technically waiting for your customer to sell something first, you often are relying on someone to champion your cause internally. In both cases, the takeaway is the same: support your customer, become a trusted advisor, and make sure they see you as vital to their success. If you do, when they finally land that contract or secure that budget approval, you’ll be the first person they call. That means less time fighting for scraps and more time closing real, profitable deals. Have a Sales Challenge of Your Own? If you’ve got a question, a snag, or a pressing issue in your sales life, I want to hear about it! Head over to salesgravy.com/ask, fill out the quick form, and one of our amazing producers will reach out to schedule you for an upcoming Ask Jeb episode. In the meantime, remember: when you’re tired, when you’re frustrated, when you’ve had enough—always make one more call. It could be the one that changes everything.