How to Navigate a sense of Urgency in Sales
Focus on “Outcomes”
Define the objective – Get the customer’s Purchase Order, PO. Book the Order!
Plan how to get there – What customer deals will comprise each of the Plan options?
Plan A – What are the topmost likely deals to close to get you to your quota? Your Commit.
Plan B – What are the Best-Case deals that can get you to your quota? Your Best Case.
Plan C – What can you do to close the Gap if you are short of hitting your quota? Telemarketing Push?
Plan D – What campaigns, audits, email blasts can you launch to achieve quota? Can you offer financing?
Prepare to get there:
Understand deal status. Is there Money, Budget? Who has Authority to say Yes? What is the Need for your Product? Is there any Impending event that could derail your deal? What is the Application? Is there Competition? What is the Timeline to purchase and why? What happens if the purchase doesn’t occur?
Where does the deal sit? Discussion, Proof of Concept, Decision Process, Approval Process, Purchase Process, with a Reseller, at the Distributor, in your Orders Department?
Is the deal process still in discovery mode? What’s next?
What is the Decision Process? Decision on which vendor’s solution to choose.
How does the Approval process work?
What are all of the steps in the signature and purchasing process? Who are the players involved? Who has to do what and by when?
Can we get an email of intent? A copy of your draft requisition or PO?
When can we expect the Official PO?
Are there any obstacles that need removed in order to get the PO?
What help is needed?
Boom, Boom, Boom, Time to Execute to get there!
Time to Win!
Congratulations, You’re There. Don’t Stop Now, Keep Going!
Good Luck!
Jerry Lang