Create Urgency in the Sales Process

Sales Solutions 877-862-8631. info@sales-solutions.biz. www.sales-solutions.biz
Accelerate Your Sales!
Creating Urgency in Prospective Customers
Craig James
Sales Solutions
October 2, 2008

Agenda
Introductions
Content
Closing Q&A

What's the Issue?
Prospects are taking forever to
make decisions
“Eager” prospects
run out of steam
Prospects stop returning calls

WHY...
do deals stall?
do I find myself so often chasing
“engaged” prospects?

WHY...
do so many of these “engaged”
prospects fall into the black hole of
“no-decisions?”

And WHAT can I do about it?

Why do deals stall?
Changing priorities for sponsor
(swamped with other responsibilities)
Changing priorities for sponsor’s boss
Changing market conditions
Changing (adverse) economic
conditions

Why else do deals stall?
Insufficient need in the first place
Never really serious about you –
just price shopping to keep their
current provider honest

And why else do deals stall?
They’ve decided they can solve the
problem on their own (after getting
information from you, or your
competitors)
No agreed-upon cost of doing
nothing

Still other reasons deals stall
The prospect favors a competitor because
Their solution is in fact superior to yours in the
areas important to the prospect
A competitor’s salesperson was more skilful than
you at selling. In other words, you were outsold
• You did not uncover needs and motivations
• You were not persuasive in your presentation
• You were ineffective at addressing objections
• The prospect deems their solution to be superior
to yours, even though it’s not (the prospect has
a misunderstanding you haven’t addressed)

What can I do about it
in the initial stages?
Ask deeper discovery questions
Turn the tables on your prospects
• are you right for us?

Asking deeper discovery
questions
Why do you need this? Why do you need this
now? Why not 6 months or a year from now?
Why not 6 months or a year ago?
Could you do without it? If not, why not?
What priority is this for you?
What priority is it for the decision-maker (if
they're not one and the same)? Is there any
reason you would decide to do nothing?
What's the potential cost of doing nothing?
What are your top 3 buying criteria?

What can I do about it
in the later stages?
after you've made your formal
presentation
after you've presented your
proposal

If you’re able to reach your sponsor
Ask questions that uncover the real
reason for the indecision/delay
Reiterate the consequences of doing
nothing or of delaying
Find out where you stand, and why

Possible Outcomes
Reason
Changing priorities
Changing market or
economic conditions
Insufficient need or
never serious
Believes they can
solve on their own
Action
Remind them of the cost
of doing nothing
Offer to do more of the
leg work
Scale back the scope (&
cost) of the proposal
Too late! You must
determine this up-front
Tactfully plant seeds of
doubt that they can

Possible Outcomes
Reason
They favor a competitor
Superior offering
Superior skill
Understood needs
better
Made a more
persuasive
presentation
Addressed objections
better
Misunderstanding
Action
Too late! Must
determine up-front
Get coaching or
training
Get coaching or
training
Get coaching or
training
Get coaching or
training
Correct the
misunderstanding

If you’re unable to reach your sponsor
after several tries
Reach out to another contact to “get the
skinny”. “I suspect/My understanding is
that your organization is leaning towards
xyz competitor. Is that correct?”
Send a "surrender" letter to your primary
contact

Summary
The best way to create urgency is to
determine/create it up-front
Many factors you can influence;
some you cannot. Focus on those
you can
Determining the reason for the stall
Implement appropriate tactics
if a competitor is favored, find out
why and try to turn the deal around
if no competitor is favored, uncover
the deeper reason, reminding the
prospect of the cost of doing nothing

Closing Q & A

Sales Solutions
Service Offerings
Sales Consulting
Sales Process Improvement
Skill Improvement/Enhancement
One-on-One Sales Coaching
• In-person or phone

Accelerate Your Sales!
Craig James
Sales Solutions
877-862-8631
www.sales-solutions.biz
info@sales-solutions.biz
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Create Urgency in the Sales Process

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