How to Find Out How a Buyer Will Choose.
Here is a deal killer that hides in plain sight. You pour weeks into a buyer, and then they pick someone else. You never knew how they were choosing. That is the "D" in MEDDPICC, the decision criteria. It is the list of things the buyer uses to pick a winner. Learn to find it, and you stop guessing what matters to them.
The mistake most people make
Most people never ask how the buyer will choose. They show their best features and hope those are the ones that count. But the buyer has their own list. Maybe price matters most. Maybe it is support, or how fast you can set things up. If you do not know their list, you are selling to your guesses, not their needs. So you push the wrong things, and a weaker option wins because it fit the real list better.
What good sounds like
Good sellers ask the buyer straight out what the choice comes down to. They listen for the things the buyer says, and the things they only hint at. Then they rank that list, so they know what matters most and what matters least. It feels less like a pitch and more like helping the buyer make a smart call. That is the whole shift.
How to do it
Ask what the choice comes down to
Do not guess their list. Ask for it. A simple, open question gets you a long way.
"When you and the team pick a tool here, what does the decision really come down to?"
Rank what matters most
A flat list is not enough. Find out which thing wins if two pull against each other.
"If you had to put those in order, which one would you not budge on?"
Confirm the list in writing
Memory drifts and buyers change their minds. Put the criteria in a follow-up email so you both agree.
"Quick recap from our call: you said the top three are setup speed, support, then price. Did I get that right?"
See the difference
"Our platform does X, Y, and Z, and it is faster than anything else out there." You are listing your strengths and hoping they line up with what the buyer cares about. They might not.
"Before I show you anything, help me understand how you will choose. What does this decision come down to for you and the team? And if two of those pulled against each other, which one wins?"
Same deal. A totally different result. The strong version makes the buyer say their real list out loud. Now you know what to lead with, and you stop wasting breath on things they do not value.
How you'll know it's working
You have got this when you can name the rules the buyer will use to choose. That means the ones they said out loud, and the ones they only hinted at. After your next call, try to write their criteria from memory, in order. If you can, and the buyer agrees with your list, you are there. Knowing how a buyer chooses is the difference between hoping you win and knowing why you will.
Questions people ask
What are decision criteria in sales?
Decision criteria are the things a buyer uses to pick between options. They cover spoken rules like price, support, and setup speed, plus unspoken ones like trust or ease of use. In MEDDPICC, this is the "D" for decision criteria. Knowing the list lets you sell to what the buyer actually values, instead of guessing.
How do I ask a buyer how they will choose?
Ask one open question, like "When you pick a tool here, what does the decision really come down to?" Then follow up to rank the list: "If two of those pulled against each other, which one wins?" Open questions get the real list. Yes or no questions just confirm your own guesses, so you learn less.
Why does it matter to know the decision criteria?
Because the buyer chooses on their list, not yours. If you do not know what matters most to them, you push your favourite features and hope they count. A weaker option can win simply by fitting the real criteria better. Knowing the list lets you lead with what wins the deal and skip what does not.
What if the buyer says they have no set criteria?
That is common, and it is a chance to help. Walk them through likely factors, like price, support, setup time, and risk, and ask which ones matter most. Buyers often have a list in their head they have never said out loud. Helping them shape it builds trust, and you learn how they will choose.
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