Keep that Deal Warm
You’re here to learn how to avoid ending up with a dead deal? I’ll let you know tomorrow.
How annoying was that? You want answers and information now. So do your customers.
Here are some lessons from the field:
Don’t leave ‘em hanging! Respond to queries as quickly as possible. The faster you respond the more likely you are to close. Full stop.
From the get-go figure out who needs to be engaged and on board in order to close the deal. Keep that decision maker in the loop. One advantage of including more people involved is that it will be tougher to leave you hanging when the exchange is so visible.
Find out the budget, parameters and approval process. Make sure that you understand their decision timeline and stakeholders early in the process and plan your communications accordingly. They may have an event coming up and won’t be deciding anything for another two months. Another bonus, by asking you are learning more about them and can wish them good luck before the big conference or grant deadline, etc.
Stay organized. Create a pipeline of prospects. Take that pipeline and strategize next steps and due dates to hold yourself accountable. This will ensure that you are proactively checking in with prospects regularly. Communicate with clients personally and intentionally. Add value with each touch. You may want to send a related news article or a client success story or anything that might be helpful to them.
“A pipeline is just a container. It’s a way to keep track of things.
Sharon weiss-greenberg, senior content manager at collabria and fundraising consultant
It’s not a dirty word. It’s a tool. It’s helpful. It can be your best friend.”
Establish common ground. Go back to the basics. Rachel Braun Scherl, Business builder speaker and author explains,
“Go back to a clear articulation of what is in the deal for both parties. Make it a win/win. A deal where both parties are disappointed is not a successful deal.”
Rachel Braun Scherl, Chief Development Officer at Pulse
Ask questions, but also share information. If you ask too many questions and spend most of your time asking them for information, it can feel like an interrogation. You want to know your clients and their needs, but you want them to know you, your company, and your product as well! The ratio of asking questions and sharing information should allow both parties the floor.
“Keep in mind that when you are reaching out to someone they want to learn from you.”
Jared robin, co-founder of revgenius
Don’t confuse or overwhelm them. You know your company and product cold. This is new to them. You have many bells and whistles to demonstrate, but there can be too much to pile on in your initial demo or conversation. Sprinkle out the possibilities and allow them space and time to take them in. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Most sales are not closed in a day.
“When we go out as sellers, and we are just focused on getting our next commission check, our buyers can sense that.”
hamish knox, podcast host, author and President of calgary sandler Sales Training and Consulting
Don’t assume the worst if a customer is slow to respond. Maybe they are busy? On a staff retreat? Vacation? Covering parental leave? Maybe they are getting audited? Who knows!? Stay positive and come from a place of—they are TOTALLY interested but just can’t talk right now. If you embody negativity that energy will spill over in your communications to them. Obviously, that won’t end well.
“The relationship is a means to deliver the value. The world is becoming more and more complex with more regulation and competition and customers are savvier because they can research products and services online.”
yaacov cohen, ceo of harmon.ie
Make it easy for prospects to research your product on their website AND offer a trial. Make it easy for them. Let them get in the driver’s seat. Your product or service may sell itself. Well, that was easy wasn’t it!?
We hope that these tips are helpful, but they aren’t foolproof. Following the list above should be helpful in preventing deals from stalling, but it will inevitably happen. In that case, this should be helpful.
Want to easily tag in your teammates to collaborate in your sales and client relationships? Collabria recently launched our design partner program. It makes it possible for you to follow through on promises made to clients, with collaboration as needed, quickly and efficiently, so that you maintain long-lasting relationships.
Want in? Become a Collabria Design Partner. You gain free access AND we will send you some swag.