Selling a Must-Have vs. Nice-to-Have: How to Win in a Competitive Market | Mark Van Oppen - 2040

Selling a must-have product sounds easier than selling a nice-to-have. But even when your solution is critical to a customer’s business, you still have competitors fighting for the same deal. So, what makes a buyer choose you?

In this episode, I talk with Mark van Oppen, CRO of SecureAuth, to talk about what it takes to sell a must-have solution in a competitive market.

Selling a Must-Have vs. a Nice-to-Have

• Mark explains why sellers should first identify whether their solution is truly critical to their ideal customer.
• A product should solve a real business problem rather than forcing urgency where none exists.
• Finding the right Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) can determine whether a product becomes a must-have.
• Mark prefers selling solutions that are foundational to the customer’s business because they create stronger customer relationships.

Why Buyers Ultimately Buy Trust

• Having a must-have solution does not automatically mean a buyer will choose you.
• When multiple companies can solve the same critical problem, trust becomes a major differentiator.
• Sellers build trust by doing what they say they will do.
• Trust also comes from demonstrating expertise and understanding the customer’s specific business problem.
• Every interaction should reinforce the buyer’s confidence that you can solve the problem.

Understand the Customer's Business, Not Just the Industry

• Sellers need to understand how a problem appears inside a specific customer’s business.
• Different companies can experience the same technical problem in very different ways.
• Instead of using the same presentation for every prospect, sellers should tailor their conversations to the customer.
• Deep research helps sellers speak directly to the customer’s situation instead of making the customer explain everything from scratch.
• This level of preparation can demonstrate expertise and build credibility.

Use AI Without Losing the Human Side of Selling

• It's possible that AI-powered sales tools would simply hide lazy sales behavior.
• He later became a supporter of tools such as Gong, call recording, automated notes, and follow-up summaries.
• These tools can help strong sellers increase their effectiveness while reducing missed details.
• AI should support good selling habits, not replace attention, preparation, or customer empathy.
• Manual note-taking still matters when automated tools are unavailable.

The Three E's: Energy, Excellence, and Experience

The three qualities Mark considers when hiring:

• Energy: The enthusiasm and commitment someone brings to the work.
• Excellence: A demonstrated history of committing to and delivering high-quality work.
• Experience: Knowledge gained through time and exposure to a specific role or industry.

Mark puts them in that order because he believes experience can be developed, while energy and a demonstrated commitment to excellence are harder to teach.

The "Say-Do-Say" Approach

• According to Mark, the phrase “say-do-say” describes another way of building trust.
• First, clearly explain what you are going to do.
• Then, actually do it.
• Finally, show the customer what you accomplished.
• This creates a clear connection between the customer’s expectations and the outcome you delivered.
• It also helps sellers reinforce their credibility throughout the sales process.

Using a Mutual Action Plan

Mark’s team uses a Mutual Action Plan (MAP) during complex sales.

The MAP includes:

• The customer's problem statement and pain points.
• A list of tasks that need to be completed.
• Stakeholders responsible for each task.
• Specific delivery dates.
• Progress updates as tasks are completed.
• A commercial review covering the business side of the deal.

The goal is to create a shared plan where both the buyer and seller understand their responsibilities and can track progress together.

Building Trust Through Execution

• A seller's job does not stop after making a promise.
• Following through on commitments gives the customer evidence that they can depend on you.
• Documenting agreements makes expectations clear and reduces confusion.
• Consistent execution becomes especially important when your product sits in the customer's critical path.

Popular Quote:

"The buyer ultimately buys trust from their vendor." — Mark van Oppen

Resources

• Learn more about SecureAuth: secureauth.com
• Reach Mark van Oppen: [email protected]