BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXPERT » qualification

No. 18 – Year end closing plan

Ian Farmer — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:16:13 +0000

HOW SAFE IS YOUR YEAR END QUOTA?

Many sales and business development people are looking at how they are going to finish the year and bring in their outstanding deals to hit quota so here is a closing checklist to help you. 1) Are you really dealing with ALL the decision makers? 2) Is your proposition a “nice to have” or a “necessity” what urgency to buy have you created? 3) Have you submitted a quote or proposal? 4) Does your proposal show hard cash savings or revenue gains with a real ROI agreed with the prospect? 5) What risks do you have to minimize to avoid a no go decision? 5)What else could “your” budget be spent on instead of your solution or service – how will you counter this?

Don’t fool yourself, if there is the slightest doubt – go back get this information. Make a list of what you need to do to close the deal, with dates, and have a formal closing plan.

No. 9 – ARE YOU QUALIFYING THE PROSPECT OR SPINNING YOUR WHEELS?

Ian Farmer — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:41:00 +0000

When sales are slow the temptation is to try and sell to everyone. Sometimes we forget about “prospect qualification” and we end up wasting time. The prospect has to have a Need for what you are selling, they have to have the desire to do something about the need and a desire to do something about the need with you. The prospect must have the Money and the willingness to spend it. Finally you must be dealing with someone who has the Authority to say yes.

Who’s the MAN? The person with the Money Authority and the Need of course! Or as one my lady colleagues says “actually its the WOMAN – Who Own the MAN!”

Sale stalled? Is it a real deal?

Ian Farmer — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:08:18 +0000

Closing 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?