Sales reps spend a lot of time chasing deals that show little to no closing signs and as someone who was in that boat not too long ago, I want to share some telltale signs of closing that a deal is worth the extra effort and chase.
Sales reps spend a lot of time chasing deals that show little to no closing signs and as someone who was in that boat not too long ago, I want to share some telltale signs of closing that a deal is worth the extra effort and chase:
Discovery Questions
One of the biggest hallmarks of a deal that requires little fretting from reps is the quality questions a lead asks. Some pertinent discovery questions revolve around the problems they have been facing and they seem keen to share their challenges. They have some real metric and figures to share and are willing to have follow-up conversations while setting clear expectations. Dodgy buyers won’t.
Budget Concerns
This one doesn’t get sales reps go all gaga but when a prospect wants to talk about budget, that’s a sign they’re measuring how your solution will stack against their books which could mean a potential partnership. It could potentially also mean that they’re an economic buyer which means you might have to negotiate over the pricing but that means they’re better than 90% of the deals in your pipeline.
Timeline
They’re clear about the timeline, what they’re looking for, have a vision, and can articulate it to you as well. I’ve been on multiple discovery calls where the prospect has a hazy vision or isn’t willing to share it with you is a telltale sign that they don’t see a potential alliance, hence there’s most likely little ROI in following up with them.
Next Steps
Serious buyers are clear on next steps and will often ask for one themselves. It could be another meeting with a decision maker who will be pivotal in making the decision, perhaps the COO or CFO or a request for proposal that will help them hold internal discussions around your proposition. Either way, they will seem keen on the next step and won’t need much nudging.
What happens when you come across a client that checks these boxes and you believe a low-hanging fruit win might be on the horizon? You make sure you don’t lose a client with all the closing signs. Here are some ways you can do that:
Honesty & an Awareness of Limitations
Being honest about whether you can help prospects or not sometimes might mean admitting your limitations, turning away business, or accepting what a competitor might be better. It might just get you your next client. Setting clear expectations helps set everyone up for success and that honesty goes a long way into building relationships and a reliable network.
Go the Extra Mile
Being genuinely curious about people’s businesses I have seen goes a long way into turning leads to deals. It might mean asking better questions, being curious about the technology they’re using or the problem they’re trying to solve. One of the best things I’ve heard on a discovery call was that the prospective buyer had turned away multiple people like us but decided to take our call because it just felt right. Convey the same spirit and enthuse them enough to want to come back to you.
Struggling to turn leads into deals? You might be missing crucial closing signs that buyers give and need help in zeroing in on those buyers. Contact us and we can help you sell to businesses better.
