Are You Trying to Win the Sale or Win the Order? - Social ...

That seller has won the sale. If they can shepherd the prospect through the rest of their buying process without tripping over their tongues or ... CONTINUETOSITE➞ Search ContentMarketing DigitalStrategy SocialMarketing SocialMediaUpdates LiveTwitterChat SMTExperts BecomeaContributor Anarticlefrom AreYouTryingtoWintheSaleorWintheOrder? PublishedMay14,2012 By AndyPaul Founder/CEO Thereisalottobesaidfortakingalong-termperspectiveinsales.Dealscanoftentakealongtimetocometofruitionasyouworkwiththeprospecttoprovidetheinformationtheyrequiretomovethroughtheirbuyingprocessandmakeaninformedpurchasedecision.Butifyouaretoofocusedonwinningtheorderyoumayenduplosingthesale.Hereissomethingthatmostsalestrainingdoesn'tteachyou:yourprospectsmakeuptheirmindswhichsellertheyaregoingtobuyfromfairlyearlyintheirbuyingprocess,oftenlongbeforetheyhandoutanorder.Thatsellerhaswonthesale.Iftheycanshepherdtheprospectthroughtherestoftheirbuyingprocesswithouttrippingovertheirtonguesormakingsomeobviouserrortheorderwillbetheirs.Tousetheoldsalescliche,thebusinessistheirstolose.Unfortunately,shortoftheprospecttellingyou,thereisnowaytoknowwith100%certaintywhetheryouhavewonthesaleornot.Overtimeyourexperiencesandexpertisewillblendtogiveyouareliableintuitiveindicatorofwhereyoustand.Buteventhentheonlywaytoproceedistoactasifeveryprospectweregoingtomakeuptheirmindonthefirstcall.Howwouldyouwinthesaleonthefirstcall?ThetreasuretroveofinformationavailableontheInternetmeansthatprospectsarenowlargelypre-educatedandsomewhatself-qualifiedbeforetheyevercontactaseller.Expertsestimatethatprospectshaveprogressedthrough50%-75%oftheirbuyingcyclebeforetheycontactyouforthefirsttime.Thismeansthatyourprospectshaveanarrowerrangeofinformationtheyneedansweredwhenyoufinallyconnectandtheirneedforinformationinordertomakethebestpurchaseddecisionisurgent.Thekeytowinningthesaleonthefirstcallistocreateapowerfulfirstperceptionwiththeprospect.YoumightbewonderingifImeanttosay"firstimpression"insteadof"firstperception"andmyanswerisno.Tomeafirstimpressionmeanstheprospecthassomevaguenotionofwhoyouare,whatyoudoandhowyoudoit.Afirstperception,ontheotherhand,isanimmediaterecognitionandappreciationonthepartoftheprospectofthevaluethatyoucancreateforthem.Impressionsarefleeting.Perceptionsaresticky.Perceptionisreality.Createacompellingfirstperceptionwiththeprospectandtheyimmediatelybegintoassociatetheirpre-salesexperiencewithyoutowhatitwouldbeliketoworkwithyouandyourcompanyaftertheorder.Oncetheprospecttakesthatmentalstepthenyouhavewonthesale.HowCanYouCreateaPowerfulFirstPerception?1.SellwithMaximumImpactintheLeastTime.Planeachsalesinteractionwiththeprospecttocreatevaluefortheprospectandtomaximizethereturntheyreceivefromthetimetheyinvestinyou.2.BeCompletelyResponsive.Theracedoesn'tgototheswift.Itgoestotheresponsive.Ifyouassumeyourprospectispre-educatedbeforeyoutalkwiththem,thenbeingcompletelyresponsivemeansquicklyprovidingcompleteanswerstotheremainingquestionstheyhave.Beingfastwithoutcontentisnotresponsive.Yourprospectshavequestionsandthefirstsellerwiththeanswerswins.Itcantakealongtimetogetanorder.Butitdoesn'ttakelongatalltowinthesale. 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