A few years back, I helped a client land a massive (low 8 figures) IoT-related project with a non-ferrous metals producer in Central Asia.
Before the sales team made any significant moves, the analyst did a thorough background check on every possible member of the decision-making unit, including traits, hobbies, and other personal data points that could come in handy.
And they sure as hell did.
It turned out that the heads of the two departments we needed buy-in from were in a full-blown war that had nothing to do with business.
One lady was an avid environmental activist, while her colleague was a devoted hunter with pictures of his trophies spread across his social media channels. I know, this may seem disgusting for my readers from the US and Europe, but you wouldn't believe in how many countries such content is considered respectable and even useful for building a personal brand".
This insight allowed us to orchestrate the deal in a way that drastically reduced the communication between the warring parties.
Bottom-line: Never underestimate the power of preliminary account research before engaging the sellers in any significant activity.
And make sure to check out my Preliminary Account Summary Framework.