Hang In There
One of the most difficult aspects of a sales career is the balance between doing what's right and what feels like needs to be done right now. The next sales period, month, quarter or year is coming up quickly, and after every one, the counter resets to zero. It seems so ominous when you think of it that way, doesn't it?
It also makes the proverbial deal-that-just-won't-close feel that much more significant than it should be. Your manager's going to have more questions for you, even though the answers aren't any better (or different) than the last time she asked. The pressure feels immense, all because of an arbitrary deadline that doesn't really impact the deal at all. To top it off, do you think your customer cares about whether or not you hit your quarter? It's really difficult to keep things in perspective.
The fact remains that there is a difference between your selling process and just about everybody else's buying process. They don't line up. Attempts to speed up the buying process end up making both you and the buyer feel gross. Throwing price incentives at them only erodes profits that would otherwise be there if you were only patient enough to wait for it. The price of impatience seems to increase at the end of every successive quarter.
I read something by Jeffrey Gitomer early in my career that significantly changed the way I look at the matter. "Stop thinking about the end of the month, and start thinking about the end of time." If you want a customer for the long term, then isn't a long-term timeline a little more significant?
I'm often asked how to increase buyer urgency. I really don't believe you can. Yes, you can underscore the mounting costs associated with not solving the problem, but in reality, a few extra days or weeks here are just a drop in the bucket compared to what's already accumulated.
I think the way to address this issue (like most) is to go back to the start and the underlying issues. You can't speed up the buying process, but you can make sure that you own your sales process and make sure that it's moving forward as quickly as possible. Most sales reps don't recognize the amount of missed steps (and missteps) in their own sales process that cause delays in the purchase. As usual, the underlying issue is more significant than you thought, and the solution lies in the mirror.
That solution, as you probably guessed, is in your pipeline. With enough deals in the process, no singular one of them becomes so important that you need to worry about them, and there always seems like there's something about to close. I've also never seen a rep get fired because they brought in more than enough long-term revenue on a less than optimal short-term timeline.
Yes, the deadlines are important, but with a broader perspective (starting with yours) they become all but obsolete. So hang in there. Remember why you do what you do. Remember that on a long enough timeline, making the sale is what matters, not when. Look at your process and determine if there's anything else you can do right now. If not, then use the extra time to prospect and get started working on the next opportunity.
What do you think? Join the conversation in the Rethink The Way You Sell Community.
Jeff Bajorek
Real. Authentic. Experience.
There’s a big difference between knowing how to sell and being able to. Jeff Bajorek spent over a decade in the field as a top performer. He’s been in your shoes. He knows what it will take. He can help you succeed.
Join the Community
Related Posts
