Are you really dealing with the decsion maker?
February 18, 2009In the current economic climate the ability of the "decision maker" to actually make a decision has to be seriously questioned by the seller. When the cash is flowing the decision making moves down the organisation to management and even operation levels, when funds are tight decision making moves back up the organisation to the executive suite.
In lean times, even with companies not necessarily experiencing financial difficulties, there is less latitude to waste, or even risk wasting, hard earned revenues. So an edict comes down from the top "all expenditure to be sanctioned by the board". Suddenly your contact shifts from being the decision maker to being a decision influencer as their purchasing ability is discreetly removed.
The problem for you is that in the majority of cases pride takes over and your contact does not tell you they have lost their power they just come up withreasons as to why "they" are delaying "their" decision.
If you are working on a deal and the decision is not forthcoming, especially from a contact who has given you orders in the past, then double check the decision making dynamics. Its a tough call but you may need to go around your contact and go to a higher authority.
Sale stalled? Is it a real deal?
February 10, 2009Closing skills the number one request we get for sales training and coaching. We engage with the client's sales people and quickly discover closing is not the problem. The deals the sales people are trying to close are not "real deals"
The sales person has created a need for the product, service or solution and has probably discussed time-scales for a decision with the prospect. Great, but what's the business driver (something happening in the business that is forcing change or action) that is creating the need for the product.
What is the compelling event (the date or deadline for the change or action demanded by the business driver) that is behind the time-scale?
Think about it this way:
Need + time-scale = nice to have.
Business driver + compelling event = must have!
Its tough to admit but ask yourself "are you selling to someone who has a real need or are you trying to sell to someone who has listened to you, and thought it would be "nice to have" what you sell, but its not a necessity".
Maybe you need some new prospects?
