Wouldn’t it be great to be a fly on the wall and hear what prospects really talk about after you leave a meeting? While the conversation in the meeting itself is important, it’s what happens afterward that can make or break the deal. A post on the Hunt Big Sales blog points out that it’s not just about what’s said while you’re in the room — it’s the follow-up chatter that really moves the needle.
So, what are prospects really discussing? In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share the Hunt Big Sales post that covers what prospects say when you’re not there.
1. The size of your company. There’s a good chance the prospect thinks your company isn’t the right size to handle their business. Maybe you’re perceived as too small without the proper resources. Perhaps they view you as too big and unable to provide customized support. According to the blog post, you should convey that they are in your top 5 priority accounts and how you will allocate your resources.
2. The timing of the deal. Your prospects are also probably saying things like, “When we’re fully staffed” or “After this next big rush.” These are all code for “no.” The post says that if you cannot overcome the timing issue and push forward to an earlier date for agreement and implementation, you should move the prospect out of the sales funnel and back to prospecting. You’ll have to start over when the mythical date for consideration happens.
3. The complexity of the deal. How complex is your proposal? Help the prospect understand the ease of working with you. Maybe they’re working with a competing company now and they worry about switching over. Paint a picture of how smooth it can be.
4. Who you know. You can’t have too many friends, the post says. Build connections with other people in the organization and be kind to everyone you meet. You never know who those people are talking to and how those discussions could impact your deal.
Make sure you prepare for those post-meeting chats that inevitably happen. These conversations can work in your favor — even when you’re not part of them. When you prove your promo expertise in every interaction, your prospects will always have something to talk about.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: The Hunt Big Sales blog. Hunt Big Sales is a sales consulting and training company.