A pilot is a reasonable ask and a free one is a test of intent. Who pays for it, and what it commits both sides to, decides whether it leads anywhere.
“we never do a demo or a pilot unless it's woven contractually into a bigger deal. There's a cost, even if you're a large company, there's a cost for you doing a pilot”
Source: How to Accelerate Deal Closure in Oil and Gas, episode 98 of the Oil & Gas Sales & Marketing Podcast.
“If they do not want to pay half of the proof of concept, then they don't have skin in the game and they're really not interested no matter what they say.”
Source: Breaking into Oil and Gas, a Five Step Process, episode 100 of the Oil & Gas Sales & Marketing Podcast.
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The next step
If the way energy buyers actually buy is costing you deals, talk it through with ModalPoint, the go-to-market firm Matthew Bertram runs. A 30-minute discovery call: no scope, no commitment, and a mutual NDA before anything substantive. You get a reply within one business day, and the first call is with someone who works in the sector.