Dec 31, 2022 was my final quarter as a VP of Sales.
We needed this $300k deal on New Year's Eve.
It was the hardest year of my sales career, ever.
The tech bubble burst hard in 2022.
We were selling compensation software -- getting anyone to keep their *employees* let alone buy a compensation tool was like pulling teeth.
If we landed the deal, we'd hit the commit.
If the deal slipped, we'd miss our Q4 team forecast.
My last forecast to the board as Pave's VP of Sales.
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On December 18th, they agreed to all deal terms.
It went to final approval with the Head of Procurement.
From December 18-31, procurement brought us through hell:
- They renegged on the 3 year deal.
- They made a last second ask for a price lock.
- They asked for all premium features and future releases.
It's one thing to say you're gonna hold the line.
It's another to know you're one misstep from:
- Fumbling a $300k deal
That would be your top rep's biggest deal ever.
That would make your last email to the board a forecast miss.
We got onto the final negotiation call and said the following.
You've pulled out on the 3 year deal, introduced last minute out-of-market contract terms, and we're still trying to make it work because we truly value our long term partnership with [COMPANY] and [EXEC].
But I have a CEO, CS leader, and board to report to and a relationship that starts on the wrong terms ends on the wrong terms.
If this is not good enough, I do not know if we're the right partner for you.
I need your answer in 2022. Please let me know what you decide.
December 30th, the text message below went out.
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We waited.
...
...
...
...
They replied.
"It was just approved. It's in Docusign."
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Sellers: We don't have an easy job during the holidays.
My rep, lead manager, and CEO were anxiously calling and texting each other the entire time while everyone was enjoying the holidays.
In a dream world, you close all your deals by today.
But we know sales doesn't operate in the dream world.
If you are closing deals past today, that is okay.
The easy deals don't get you to President's Club.
