It’s tax season – it reminds me of the ROI sale.  Even if there is an ROI to be had, there are at least three problems with it:

1. First, you can’t count on the client using your product or service the right way – don’t count on them actually realizing any ROI.

2. Most of the sales people I know, cannot articulate financial justification well enough to be credible in front of a financial officer.  Let face it, if you’re not reading financials on a daily basis, you’re not going to know your way around a mid-market or enterprise level PNL…oh, did I mean P&L?  Some don’t know the difference.

3. But most importantly, sales are emotional.  To call into question financial numbers, operating costs, and bottom-line return, is to push your client into an analytical, left brain mode – one that get’s wrapped up in analysis, leaving the emotion of the moment; a mindset opposed to spending unbudgeted dollars.