Fulfillment is one of the very last steps in the sales process, but it can be one of the most crucial.
Fulfillment can be summarized as pushing your current opportunities to an outcome by fulfilling the terms of the up-front contract. Fulfillment is only successful when there’s an appropriate structure in place. The ultimate goal of fulfillment strategies is to confirm some level of commitment from your prospect, eliminate any wishy-washy responses, and mutually agree to a clear decision process.
When closing the contract, focus on defining what your “yes” entails. What kind of commitment do you need from your prospect? A well-defined “yes” will clarify your expectations and make the decision process much simpler for both parties. If you are sensing red flags in this stage of the process, step back and take a minute to ask some questions that could disclose any underlying doubts.
There are 5 steps that can lead you to the truth when you begin to notice adverse signals:
1) Get permission to ask some tough questions.
2) Nurture and soften your questions.
3) Tell a third party story.
4) Ask: “Is that the case?”
5) Deal with the truth.
Remember to make your presentation with the prospect’s experiences in mind. Don’t burden the prospect with excessive information. It is your goal to make the sale based on the pain of the individual or organization. Not every benefit and feature that you can offer will apply to your prospect and their specific problems.
Once you have a confirmed commitment from your prospect, it is vital that you continue to support the relationship. The post-sell process helps eliminate buyer’s remorse and sets up expectations for the future. Ask the buyer to reconfirm their commitment, discuss possible showstoppers, and let the buyer know exactly what you want to avoid. The post-sell step is designed to give your prospect a chance to address any concerns while you are still in front of them.
|
|
