“Clarifying next steps is not about those giant leaps that are going to happen inside a sales cycle. It’s the next thing that has to happen.” – Mike Simmons in today’s Tip 736
What are you doing next?
Join the conversation below and learn more about his courses & his podcast!
Catalyst Sale
Catalyst Sale Podcast
Mike Simmons on LinkedIn
Submit a Sales Tip
Have feedback? Want to share a sales tip? Call or text the Sales Success Hotline: 512-777-1442 or Email: [email protected]
Transcript
Scott Ingram: You’re listening to the Daily Sales Tips podcast and I’m your host, Scott Ingram. Today’s tip comes from Mike Simmons. Mike has more than 25 years of operations, customer success, sales, and sales leadership experience, 15 in the enablement tech space. He is a husband, a father, a golf fanatic, and a host of the Catalyst Sale Podcast. Here he is:
Mike Simmons: If you were watching this, you likely either had a meeting earlier today. You will have a meeting later today. You had a meeting last week, or you will have a meeting next week. We all have meetings. How many times do you walk out of those meetings, but not really know what did we accomplish? What are we doing next? Not only what are we doing next, but who’s responsible for it and when’s it gonna happen? This is why it’s important for you to clarify next steps. Clarifying next steps is not about those giant leaps that are going to happen inside a sales cycle. It’s the next thing that has to happen. The next gate that you have to have.
One of the things I try to do when clarifying next steps is try to keep them as simple as possible. Very short bulleted statements. Next step, deliver contract paper. Next step, make introduction to so-and-so. Next step, provide feedback on X, Y, or Z. Then in parentheses, next to that next step, I like to put the name of the person. And if I know it, the date for which it’s supposed to be completed, the timing. Might be a couple of days. It might be a couple of weeks.
Providing the high level of clarity. What people will do next will help you lead your customers through these conversations. And no one will go out of these meetings and say, “Wow, why did we have that meeting? What do we accomplish? What’s happening next?” You’ll be answered those questions. What, and what’s next? So clarify those next steps. Keep them simple and be very direct about who’s taking them on, when they need to be done. Thank you
Scott Ingram: For more from Mike Simmons, including the video version of tip, a transcript. Links to connect with Mike or to learn more about his courses or his podcast, just click over to DailySales.Tips/736
Once you’ve done that. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another great sales tip. Thanks for listening!