“If you're getting the RFQ and it's the first time you're hearing about the opportunity, you're already too late.”
— Shari Begun
54. Winning the RFQ Game: How Sales Teams Can Shape Deals Before They’re Written
In high-stakes, complex sales, success often hinges on what happens before the RFQ ever goes out. In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Harry Kendlbacher sits down with Shari Begun — VP of Global Sales — to unpack what it really takes to win large deals in today’s environment. From account planning a...
In many industries, the RFQ feels like a starting line. But for Shari Begun, VP of Global Sales, it's often the final chapter in a much longer story — one that successful sellers start shaping months in advance.
In this episode of B2B Sales Trends, Shari joins Harry Kendlbacher to explore how top-performing sales teams get ahead of the ask, build deeper account engagement, and position themselves long before procurement steps in.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
Why showing up at the RFQ stage is often too late to make a difference — and what to do instead
How engaging early with technical stakeholders gives you influence before the buying criteria are finalized
What sellers get wrong about stakeholder alignment — and how to build trust across functions
Strategies for defending your value when pricing pressure kicks in late in the cycle
Plus, Shari shares how long-lead conversations, account planning, and internal advocacy can help sellers move from responding to shaping — and ultimately win more of the right deals.
This episode is full of insight for anyone navigating enterprise sales, competitive RFQs, or complex buying cycles where value needs to be earned long before a deal hits the table.