--- title: You Sell from In Front | The Sales Blog description: It’s difficult to play the game of sales from behind. It’s difficult to play from behind when your buyer has already entered the buying cycle. Once they’ve decided that they’re dissatisfied, that they need to change, and have started evaluating options, you’re already working from behind. If you think you can wait for your dream […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2013-01-31-at-8_43_06-PM.png --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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It’s difficult to play from behind when your buyer has already entered [the buying cycle](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/what-you-can-learn-from-the-super-compressed-sales-cycle). Once they’ve decided that they’re dissatisfied, that they need to change, and have started evaluating options, you’re already working from behind. If you think you can wait for your dream client to decide they need something before you start engaging them, you’re incorrect. It’s difficult to play from behind your competitors, too. Once they’ve managed to find their way into your dream client company and made connections, you’re already behind in relationship building. If you think you can play catch up after your competitors have the place wired, you’re going to learn just [how difficult it can be to displace](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/underestimating-what-it-takes-to-fire-your-competitor) someone with a deep relationship. Selling is built on relationships of value. You need to have built relationships before you really need them. It’s difficult to play from behind when it comes to pricing. Once you’re at the end of your sales process and begin negotiating, it’s too late to start trying to define the value you create. To successfully maintain your pricing and your margins, you needed to build the value and gain agreement on what it’s worth to your client early in the sales process. The only way you can [push back and reiterate the value](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/reiterate-the-value-your-create-and-push-back) you create is if you’ve already gained that agreement earlier. You [sharpen your value creation](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/trading-value-for-macro-and-micro-commitments), or you sharpen your pencil. Selling is a game that’s [best played from in front](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/winning-before-the-contest). You work in front of opportunities to help your dream client understand and their needs—and the eventual solution. You work in front of opportunities to create the relationships you need up and down your client’s organizational chart. You work in front of pricing by gaining agreement on the value you create and what it’s worth to your dream client before you ever get to a negotiation. #### Questions How do you play the game of sales from in front? How do you fall behind? What are the challenges of trying to catch up with your dream client when they’re deep into their buying cycle? What do you do to catch up with your competitors when they’ve built strong relationships? When is the right time to start justifying your price as it relates to the value you create? ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2013](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2013) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on January 31, 2013 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-11T12:13:50 PM", "datePublished" : "2013-01-31 20:56:40", "description" : "It’s difficult to play the game of sales from behind. It’s difficult to play from behind when your buyer has already entered the buying cycle. 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