“Expect that you’re going to hear “No” at least twice late in any deal.” – Scott Ingram in today’s Tip 991
Are you ready to step up and respond to that test?
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Transcript
Scott Ingram: You’re listening to the Daily Sales Tips podcast and I’m your host, Scott Ingram. Today as my team and I work through the last few days of bringing together this year’s Sales Success Summit experience I thought I’d talk about the final push. Those last few steps in a big deal that you’ve been working on for months or that complex project that’s finally coming together. There’s a special mindset required because what appears on paper to be just the last 5 or 10 percent of that effort can feel like close to 50 percent. It gets tough as you get down close to the goal line. The first thing for me is to prepare for that. To be paranoid in a productive way and think about what could go wrong.
This is the point where you really want to increase your communication and make sure that you’ve got access to as many people as possible. You also want to be communicating well internally to make sure that your own team is aligned, knows what’s going on, and is in a position to help if needed. I like to prepare that team to be challenged as well. They need to know that there’s a good chance things are going to get a little crazy and might try to go sideways and it’s our job to react quickly, creatively, and professionally.
I got some really great advice early in my sales career that has served me extraordinarily well, and that’s to expect that you’re going to hear “No” at least twice late in any deal. You should actually worry if you’re not getting pushback. If you expect these No’s they’re so much easier to deal with. You realize that they’re just a door opener to what’s really going on. To what’s really behind those final sticking points. They’re something you’ll need to respond to and adjust for, and not a sign that all is lost and it’s time give up and walk away.
This is where the true champions emerge. This is the real test of your process, your mindset, your creativity, your ability to work with your team and with your future customer. Of course, it’s not always like that. Sometimes all the work you’ve done pays off and everything goes smoothly, and it’s awesome to be able to enjoy those experiences as well, but more often than not you’re probably going to be tested in that final push.
Are you ready to step up and respond to that test? That’s the game, and man do I love this game.
Thanks for listening to me today. Thanks for listening to and sharing this podcast, and as always, be sure to come back tomorrow for another great sales tip!