Clarity matters: the Day One List

Bain & Co, among others, tell us that 90% of B2B buyers start any submissions process with three potential vendors in mind. It’s known as the Day One List, and it’s critical. Because 86% of decisions to buy go to one of those three. It doesn’t matter what sector, or how complex the product/service is, that’s what happens. If you’re not on that List, your chances of success are small.

And how do you get onto the List? Bain give three factors: (1) the buyer has personal experience of working with the vendor (2) the buyer’s colleagues have personal experience of the vendor (3) the buyer knows of and ‘gets’ the vendor.

The first two factors talk to ABM and relationship management. What if you can’t tick either of those boxes? You have to work even harder at the third. To be known and ‘got’, you have to have clarity in your brand positioning. If not, you don’t stand out, you don’t get the chance to compete.

You lose opportunity, you lose ground, you lose money.

Bain warn, “Don’t underestimate the power of the list”.  We say, “Don’t underestimate the power of your brand to get you on it.”