Blog Layout
Relax on Talking Product too soon
May 27, 2021
In the era of remote selling, so many distractions have been removed.
We're not running through airports or running back from a client lunch to attend that staff meeting. We're not commuting and the stress of traffic is gone. In a way, we have more uninterrupted time to process information and complete work. So as it applies to the prospect conversations over the web, it can be hard to know when in a prospect conversation, when it's ok to actually start recommending solutions. So here are a few tips to ensure you stay in alignment with your prospect and earn the right to make an intelligent recommendation:
1. Make a connection with your humanity: We are all in inside sales now which includes our prospects. Everyone has made the shift to remote work, so be curious about the tools and hacks prospects are using. We are all in this together so I like to lead with genuine care and concern. It's who I am anyway but this matters in the sales and relationship-building dialog. Keep it professional but be personal and personable. These initial conversations are about giving, not receiving.
2. Realize that there will be at a minimum three steps to your sales process. Typically there will be a get-to-know-you call, a diagnostic call, and a call to review initial recommendations. Of course, there will be back and forth emails for clarity and questions, but they are the key legs to the engagement stool. Do your research but don't be afraid to show up to these conversations with insights that you couldn't find on your own. Just make sure they lead to a bigger hypothesis about a problem you can solve or the pebble in the prospect's shoe you're uniquely able to remove.
3. Be patient. If you want to talk about solutions because the prospect is proving you a wealth of insight, remember that rough layouts sell better than finished ones. This is one of the greatest lessons I've ever learned in solution selling. Work harder to collaborate with the prospect on solving the right problem vs. pitching your solution. With that in hand, the next step is a high-level approach that entails the prospect's spoken words, interwoven with the credibility that communicates that you and your firm have done this before. If you're going to use a few slides, make sure they say "draft" on them. In the era of remote selling, too final, too soon can make prospects can feel locked out. Most want to have a point of view and see their fingerprints on something they'll ultimately have to sell internally. Set another meeting for a deep dive after you've shared a more final version of a proposal.
For more information or to learn how your team can get more face time with prospects in the era of remote work, contact Bill Walton at bwalton@ascendadvisers.com
Since this is a blog post I’ll get right to it . Not enough emphasis is being placed on closing. The reasons we typically hear range from a fear of being too salesy to the reluctance to confront the mortality of a deal.
A company cannot grow consistently unless the sales process is repeatable, non-arbitrary, and aligned with how clients buy. That’s why companies investing in a defined sales process experience a minimum of 5-10% revenue growth when a formal process is followed consistently (Sales Leadership in Action, 2010).
At this writing, there are over 80,000 books on selling available on Amazon.com. What does that say? It says that no one has cracked the code. Buyer needs change, technologies emerge, economies ebb and flow. But what will never go out of style is how your buyer and/or buying organization chooses to purchase what you and your competitors sell.
Employee engagement is a major concern for HR leaders. Year after year, concerned managers and researchers discuss Gallup’s shocking statistic that seven out of 10 U.S. employees report feeling unengaged.
The brokerage community has had a few weeks to reflect on last year and get ready for 2021.
If you haven't noticed, we are all in inside sales now. It's not what we all signed up for but businesses and people are versatile and adaptive beings.
8 Campus Dr. Suite 105
Parsippany, NJ 07054
info@ascendadvisers.com
973-310-2803
Sign up for Exclusive Content
Copyright Ascend Advisers 2023 - All Rights Reserved