Decision criteria are the factors and standards a prospect uses to evaluate solutions and make a purchase. They can be formal and documented, or informal and unspoken but influential. Uncovering and shaping them is one of the biggest levers on your win rate.
The types of criteria to listen for
Technical (features, compatibility, scalability), financial (price, ROI, total cost of ownership), operational (implementation, training, support), strategic (long-term fit, future-proofing), and relationship (vendor reputation, cultural fit).
How to uncover the criteria
- Ask direct questions: "What criteria will you use to evaluate solutions?" "How will you measure success?"
- Analyze past decisions: "How did you select your current solution, and what do you wish you'd known?"
- Engage multiple stakeholders: map everyone involved, learn each one's priorities, then look for overlaps and conflicts.
- Listen for implicit criteria: note which features spark the most discussion and how prospects react to competitor mentions.
- Validate with your champion: confirm your understanding and surface any hidden criteria.
How to influence the criteria
Top performers don't just discover criteria, they shape them: educate on best practices, introduce factors the prospect overlooked (especially ones that favor your strengths), reframe criteria that don't favor you, emphasize long-term value, and respectfully challenge criteria that would lead to a poor decision.
Avoid assuming criteria are fixed (they evolve), overweighting formal criteria while missing emotional ones, and ignoring company-level factors like vendor stability. Structure your proposals around the prospect's actual criteria and you'll win more of the deals you should.