-Mark Hunter
You've been speaking with a prospect for a while and you have a sense of their goals and challenges—it seems like your offering is a great fit for their business. You're ready to set a date for a product walk-through and/ or talk price—but then, your prospect says something that stops you in your tracks.
"Can we talk about this next quarter? It's just not a good time for us to buy right now."
Most of the country has been sheltering in place and working from home for some time now. This change came with obvious challenges to getting work done for those who live with others—be they roommates, partners, spouses, or children. Then, there are those employees who do not have others at home and now have no commute. One might intuitively think these individuals would be just as productive or even more so, given that research shows remote workers get more done.
To be sure, this might be the case for some people. However, conversations with dozens of clients and colleagues in the last two months tell us otherwise. Regardless of each person’s situation, the resounding theme that I’ve heard from working professionals, spanning multiple sectors, is that they are not only getting less done, but they are emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted.>>> READ MORE
Sometimes we find that data runs contrary to personal opinion or conventional wisdom. Other times, data simply reinforces something we already suspected to be true.
In the latter category, you have insights like this: consumers are tiring of COVID-19-related ads. Surprised? Probably not, if you’ve watched TV lately and sat through six straight commercials opening with some variation of, “During these uncertain times…”
Even in cases like this, being able to match our perceptions to real-world data provides us with concrete evidence to support decision-making and strategic shifts. The above example, from a sales standpoint, may serve as a prompt to start framing your outreach differently.>>> READ MORE
Sales is a balancing act. We’re constantly pushing prospects further along in the sales process while trying not to be overly aggressive. If your touch is too light, the prospect has no sense of urgency and you’ll never get the deal. But if you come on too strong, the prospect might feel overwhelmed and turn down an otherwise solid proposal.
Finding the perfect balance can be tricky, especially when each person you’re selling to has unique personalities, timelines, and situations. Thankfully, there are some basic principles to help you navigate that fine line between timidity and pushiness, and allow you to motivate your prospects without coming off as needy or intrusive. Here are five.>>> READ MORE
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