I recall a sales opportunity I chased in my previous career. I sold HVAC solutions and I came across a rural hospital that was interested in an energy upgrade to their facility. The building was old and the systems were inefficient. On the outside, this opportunity had all the indicators that it would go all the way to close. So, I began to work on the proposal, flew in the experts that understood how to implement such a complex project, dialed in all the right solutions that would cut energy costs, improve the system to newer technology, and be more reliable and functional for the customer. I was convinced that my proposal would bring to the customer exactly what they wanted for their facility. I gave an awesome presentation about how we would transform this small hospital into a high performance building. . . “This proposal is great! I will share this with the administrator and let you know what he thinks about it.” Needless to say, after dozens of hours and thousands of dollars spent, the administrator cast my proposal aside as if it was an afterthought. AAAARRRRRRGGGGGG!!!!!!!!
It was my fault for this failure. The prospect I was working with was not a decision maker. A good rule to remember is that there are no bad prospects; only bad salespeople.
This takes us to the fifth step in professional selling: Decision. It is vitally important that the sales professional understand all the aspects of the prospect’s decision process before committing time , energy and money into generating a proposal. This issue of the buyer/seller dance has multiple dimensions that must be explored if we are to properly qualify our prospect before he/she gains access to our intellectual property. Let’s take a look at each dimension:
WHO? You cannot assume that just because you are talking to a prospect, that prospect has the authority to make buying decisions. You must ask the question. Careful however. Phrase the question in such a way that you protect the dignity of the prospect. “Who besides yourself would be involved in making a decision to buy my solution?” All decision makers must be present for any presentation you plan on giving.
HOW? It is foolish to think that you are the only vendor offering a solution to the prospect. More than likely, your competitors are as well. Therefore ask! “How will you go about making this decision?” Here is where you will find out that there are multiple bids that must be considered. Ask who the other bidders are and how the prospect will choose which one is best. Right here, the prospect will tell you how to win.
WHEN? Timing is everything. “When would you want our solution up and running?” This question reveals the urgency of the prospect. If the prospect wants the solution immediately, make sure you can deliver to the expectation. If the prospect doesn’t want the solution until next year, then it is time to end the sales call and check back in 10 months.
WHY? “Why now would you decide to change vendors?” This question can be asked in many different ways but the issue we are trying to uncover is the same: Why would the prospect buy from us? Incumbents don’t just lie down while you steal away their business. They will fight to keep it so you need to make sure that you are not just being used to keep the incumbent honest. If you are, then it is time to end the sales call.
WHAT? To fully understand the prospects decision making process, it is time to ask the “What” question. “What has to happen between now and when I would receive a purchase order?” It is here that you will catch anything that might have been missed concerning how your prospect will decide to buy.
Remember, if you fail to get a decision when the above questions are asked, you do not have a qualified prospect and you should end the sales call. It is unlikely you will make the sale unless the prospect you present to has the authority to sign the check.
Sandler Training is a global training organization with over three decades of experience and proven results. Sandler provides sales and management training and consulting services for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) as well as corporate training for Fortune 1000 companies. For more information, please contact Karl Schaphorst at (402) 403-4334 or by email at kschaphorst@sandler.com. You can also follow his blog at karlschaphorst.sandler.com
by Karl Schaphorst, President
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