Long sales cycles aren’t a patience test—they’re a process. In this episode, Mark McGraw and guest Brian Hayes break down how to win 12–24-month capital deals without rushing: speak the buyer’s language, use curiosity to find context, and build momentum through meaningful next steps instead of shortcuts.
In this episode:
Why speed kills deals (and how context saves them)
Capital buying reality: budgets, board approval, and timing
Cost of delay as a lever to align urgency
The Italy negotiation story: delivery date > everything else
Stakeholder mapping: “Who else is involved?” and signatory authority
Meaningful Next Steps: an operating system for long cycles
“Help me understand” → “What if” (first 30 min vs. next 30 min)
Pre-call reports, 3×3 matrix, and pre-mortems to avoid blind spots
Being the Sherpa: guide the buy, don’t just pitch
About Brian Hayes:
VP of Sales & Marketing at GPA (Global Process Automation). Brian sells and leads large, complex automation programs across paper, mining/minerals, and chemicals—bringing a Sandler-driven approach to discovery, stakeholder alignment, and clarity in next steps.
🔗 Download exclusive sales resources at: buildingyoursalesengine.com/giveaway
Mentioned in This Episode:
https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/36
https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-frank-hayes/
