Bottlenecks & Accelerators in the Sales Process
Judy Frank talks sales bottlenecks and accelerators in the sales process with John Golden. Bottlenecks, also referred to as speed bumps or potholes, are things that come up in the sales process that slow the entire method down, or negatively impact it in some way. Accelerators, on the other hand, are things that speed up the sales process and lead to a quicker close.
In this expert sales interview, learn:
- The key bottlenecks to avoid
- Ways to accelerate the sales process
The Biggest Sales Bottleneck: Discovery
The discovery portion of a sales pitch is where a salesperson builds rapport with a potential client. This early stage is where trust is established, and where the relationship begins to develop. Often, salespeople blow through this discovery process. They don’t take the time to build rapport or form relationships, they don’t ask relevant questions, and they don’t figure out what the potential customer needs. This leaves them in a position of pitching to someone who they haven’t built trust with yet and selling a solution to a problem that is unclear.
Failure to Qualify
Frank also emphases the importance of qualifying each company in the pipeline. Ask yourself, “is this a viable opportunity? Can I help this business?” Selling is helping; Helping a company to increase profit, decrease cost, or do things better using your products, or services, or software. If you cannot help this company, then you likely cannot sell to this company. “Get the ‘no’ as fast as possible so you can move onto the companies who will give you a ‘yes,’” said Frank.
Accelerate by Understanding the Company
If you have qualified that a company would benefit from your product or service, there are several things to understand that often get ignored. Frank encourages salespeople to ask critical questions to further understand the company they are trying to sell to. “What is the value that this company has for you? Who are the decision makers? What is their style? How close are you to forming a relationship with them? What is their internal process that will lead to an approved purchase?” These questions are crucial for having an accurate understanding of the company. If a salesperson is going in blind, it is likely they will miss something important that could ultimately cost the sale. This potential bottleneck could turn into a massive source of acceleration. Understanding these questions helps to build trust with the client, something that can help a sale close faster.
About our Host:
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
Comments