What Procurement Directors Wish Salespeople Knew

When I first stepped into enterprise sales, I had a major advantage—my father-in-law was a Technology Procurement Director at the industry’s leading travel management company. Over decades, he had purchased everything from telephony to ERP, giving him a deep understanding of the buying process.

That meant I had backstage access to the mind of a seasoned buyer. And believe me, the lessons I learned from him were invaluable—spoiler alert: it’s not about your perfect pitch or closing tactics. It’s all about seeing the world through the buyer’s eyes.

Here’s what I learned that still holds true today;

Its Not About You

Buyers aren’t impressed by your personal charisma or that elevator pitch. What they really want to know is: Can your company execute?

Think big picture—like a movie production. Sure, the actor gets the spotlight, but it’s the director, producer, and the entire crew that makes the magic happen. Your sales team is no different.

Top-performing AEs aren’t just salespeople—they’re orchestrators. The buyer wants to see a unified team: your CEO needs to talk vision, your VP of Product should handle the tough technical questions, and your executive sponsor has to lock down internal support.

The more seamlessly your team works together, the more confidence the buyer has that you can deliver. They need to see a well-oiled machine in action.

Learn to Tame the Chaos

Buyers don’t want a “closer”—they want a project manager.

When dealing with large deals, it’s like juggling chainsaws—one wrong move and everything could go south. As an AE, you’re not just pushing deals through the pipeline. You’re managing the entire process. You keep track of timelines, wrangle stakeholders, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Deals rarely fall apart because of a bad pitch. More often, they collapse due to poor follow-through—missed documents, unresolved stakeholder concerns, or a failure to navigate internal processes.

Stop Selling Your Product

Buyers don’t care about your product the way you think they do. Your demo and beautifully crafted proposal? Just table stakes. Their decision isn’t about your solution—it’s about their business.

Winning deals isn’t just about solving pain points; it’s about aligning with their internal politics, budget cycles, and risk appetite. The real question isn’t whether your product is great—it’s whether it makes their job easier, their CFO’s numbers work, and their long-term strategy stronger. Once you see the world through their eyes, selling stops feeling like persuasion and starts feeling like partnership.

Don’t Even Think About Pitching a Quick Fix

Big buyers don’t spend big to solve small problems—they invest in transformation.

They’re not writing large cheques to clean up disjointed workflows or fix inefficiencies in a single department. They’re looking for solutions that drive company-wide change—whether that’s rethinking their business model, expanding into new markets, or gaining a competitive edge.

If your solution is positioned as just a quick fix, you’ll be dismissed as a tactical purchase. But if you can show how it fuels strategic pivots, opens new revenue streams, or reshapes the way they operate, you’ll have their full attention. That’s what moves the needle.

Think Like a CEO

If you want to close big deals, think like a CEO—not a salesperson.

CEOs aren’t worried about next quarter; they’re thinking years ahead. Every decision is measured by its impact on growth, scalability, and risk.

If you can’t prove that your solution reduces risk, fuels growth, and positions them for long-term success, you won’t make the cut. Decision-makers are juggling multiple vendors, high-stakes negotiations, and millions on the line. If your product doesn’t solve a strategic, long-term challenge, it won’t even make the shortlist.

So, next time you’re chasing that big deal ask yourself: How does this deal fit into their long-term vision? How does it solve their biggest strategic challenges?

If you can answer those questions, you’re no longer just selling—you’re partnering for long-term success.