Consulting, Quoting, and Closing

When the economy is hot – like it was for most of the mid-2000’s - the phone is ringing, RFQ’s are coming in, sales cycles are short, margins are high, sales targets are being exceeded and overall, sales people look to have the skills and attitude of a winner.

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For those of you (like me) that sell a solution that needs to be implemented, built or managed after the sale is made, it's easy to fall into a trap.

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While physically located at the back of this workbook … closing is NOT something you do at the end. Rather, closing a sale is just the natural conclusion after properly executing the strategies, processes and actions outlined in this workbook.

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If you have been in sales for any amount of time, you have heard the term “Trial Close”. But what does it mean? Simply, it’s a process of gauging and feeling out someone’s interest.

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Within the normal sales cycle there are so many different areas where a sales person can stumble. For some, simply keeping their pipeline full and getting their ‘foot in the door’ can be a challenge, while for others, their pipeline is always healthy and hopeful but they too often watch great opportunities hit a wall.

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While 99% of sales training manuals do all they can to avoid the “pricing” topic, in reality, for the vast majority of sales people, price is always a factor. So, rather than pretend it does not exit, let’s hit it head on.

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In all the years that I have been in the sales consulting business, the one phenomenon that I always find surprising is how many sales reps simply email over quotes and proposals to their customers instead of presenting it to them (via phone or face-to-face).

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Whether we are working with prospects or long-standing customers, negotiation is a very real element of the buying process for many of us. Successful negotiation does not only mean meeting your clients in the middle between your price and theirs; it can involve creative thinking, addressing issues standing in their way, building a stronger relationship, etc…

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Amongst many of the differences between selling within a complex versus a simple sales environment, one of the most misunderstood stages of every sales call is obtaining commitment.

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Let the debate begin. In our view, the ultimate purpose of a quote is to provide documented confirmation of what you and your customer have already discussed and agreed to.

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For many of us, whether face to face or via a “webinar”, doing a presentation is an expected part of your selling process.

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Let’s face it … both you, as the sales person, and your prospect know that what you communicate to them, while intended to be completely objective, is not.

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There are many uncomfortable questions that we need to ask as consultative salespeople. The greatest value of these questions is to:

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At the end of the day, the art of selling comes down to “communication”. And as the old story goes, it is not “what you say” but “how you say it”.

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Finally, after many calls, emails and conversations, you get a nibble. The customer tells you they are ready, interested and willing to talk with you to learn more.

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Everyone knows that the first step towards any sale is identifying a need. The key question, of course, is how to do that.

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Human nature is typically “risk adverse”. They want what they want at the lowest risk possible. The definition of risk differs for different people. Some people would rather pay more to feel that something is going to perform better or sooner or more consistently. Some people just want whatever’s cheapest.

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People spend a lot of time and money developing fancy power point presentations, glossy brochures and creative PDF’s. Sometimes, they even customize each presentation in preparation for a 1st meeting with a new prospect.

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Before any 1st appointment, send the prospect the following email as your agenda..

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