Ryan Berman - Risk to Relationship in B2B Sales, Procurement Strategy and Total Cost of Ownership

In this episode of The Inquisitor Podcast, Marcus Cauchi and Ryan Burman discuss procurement in B2B sales, buyer psychology, total cost of ownership, and how sales teams can build trust with procurement instead of fighting it.

The discussion reframes procurement as a risk management function rather than a price cutting function.

Ryan explains that successful sales teams focus less on persuasion and more on aligning with how procurement evaluates suppliers, especially around risk, reliability, and total cost of ownership.

This episode is relevant for sales leaders, account executives, and commercial teams working in complex B2B sales environments where procurement plays a key role in decision making.

Key Topics Covered

* Procurement in B2B sales and how it influences buying decisions

* Buyer psychology and how procurement evaluates supplier risk

* Total cost of ownership (TCO) vs ROI in procurement decisions

* Sales and procurement alignment in enterprise and mid-market deals

* How to build trust with procurement teams in B2B selling

* Why co-creation improves sales outcomes compared to traditional pitching

* Common sales mistakes when dealing with procurement teams

* How procurement manages risk, continuity, and supplier reliability Key

Takeaways

Procurement is focused on risk management

Procurement teams prioritise reducing operational and commercial risk, not just lowering costs.

Buyer decision making is driven by risk

Suppliers are evaluated on whether they reduce uncertainty or introduce it.

Total cost of ownership matters more than ROI

Procurement considers long-term costs including quality, supply chain stability, and maintenance.

Co-creation improves sales success Building solutions with procurement leads to stronger alignment and higher win rates.

Trust is the deciding factor Buyers prioritise predictability and reduced internal risk over lowest price.

Key Insight for Sales Teams

In B2B sales, every deal must satisfy three buyer needs:

* Functional, does the solution work

* Social, how it impacts internal stakeholders

* Emotional, whether it reduces personal and career risk

 

Ryan Burman is the founder of Pitch to Procure and creator of the First to Pitch methodology. He helps sales and procurement teams improve alignment, negotiation outcomes, and supplier relationships in complex B2B sales environments.

Key Quote “The first transaction is not the win. The first transaction is the test of trust. Pass that test and even if you don’t get a deal, you can get a customer for life.” Marcus Cauchi

 

Ryan Berman | LinkedIn

Marcus Cauchi | LinkedIn