Defining a "yes" can instantly become a "no" in the first ten minutes of a sales call- especially if you are not being specific as to what a "Yes" means.
In order to get specific, you need to be asking yourself a few questions(Whether it is the first call, second call, last call, or fifteenth call):
- What are you attempting to get out of this meeting?
- What are the outcomes that you are looking to achieve?
Being clear in your own mind as to what outcomes you are willing to accept at the end of a meeting is essential to getting a “yes” or closing the file.
In most cases, it takes more than one meeting to get a final commitment from a prospect.
You need to have a contract at the beginning and end of every meeting. Go into each and every meeting with a clear understanding as to what is going to take place after the meeting is over.
Most salespeople don’t take the time to sit down and figure that out. They might have an idea, but saying the words “next step” is not a definition of a “yes”. It is not specific enough.
You probably have a general understanding as to what it normally takes to get somebody to be a client. The key to this is recognizing the steps our prospects must make to get them to become a client and what are the specific commitments they need to be making to move them though those steps.
If your prospect is not going to give you an appointment or become our next customer- wouldn’t it be best to know sooner rather than later? Your objective in every sales meeting is to get to the truth. You need to be able to reveal the truth, even if it is not something we want to hear.
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In enterprise selling, the buyer network is wider, more diverse, and much more complex than in simpler, more traditional sales interactions. Knowledge is power. Know what you're up against with enterprise sales. |
