When to Lengthen the Sales Process

Most salespeople are interested in ways to shorten the sales process. But what if you’re losing? Then, a smart strategy is to lengthen the sales process. And that’s today’s topic.

How do you lengthen the sales process? In reality, a better way to look at this is that you’re advising them to lengthen their decision process. You’re suggesting they add steps to what they had planned on doing.

To get them to agree to that, you need a good reason. And that reason usually revolves around eliminating FUD (fear, uncertainty & doubt) for them. The added steps will help them do that.

The logic

Most buyers experience FUD when making decisions on a new solution or working with a new technology partner. And our job in the sales process is to eliminate or greatly reduce that FUD.

Except when we’re behind.

Then we want to bring into the light the FUD that’s already there but has been buried because thinking about it induces too much stress or blocks them from moving forward. The needle we want to thread is increasing the FUD without reducing the motivation to find a solution. We want them to believe all of the bases haven’t been covered but that you know the way to do that.

Once FUD is introduced (or increased) in their minds, the only way to resolve that is to add depth to planned steps or add more steps.

Some examples

Here are a few areas of FUD you can raise:

Is the needs analysis complete enough? Have all the pain points uncovered been addressed? Are there other pain points that were missed (weren’t uncovered) that could come back and bite them later?

Are these pain points (previously discovered and newly added) properly addressed in their scoring matrix for comparing alternative solutions? How about the weighting/priority of them? Does that still reflect reality or should they take another look at them?

Have all the people who are impacted by the problems the client is trying to resolve aware of what’s going on? Might anyone who has not been involved raise a stink or throw a monkey wrench into the process?

How well did the solution providers address all of their concerns? Were the answers deep enough for the client to feel comfortable and confident or should they be brought back in until they do?

Have we (the client) tested things we could test and asked for proof or just taken their (the vendors) word for it? For example, have we tested how well their service/support staff handles issues with sample calls? Have we talked to other clients of theirs to confirm what the salespeople have been saying and see what it’s really like being a client (the good, the bad & the ugly)?

Don’t be afraid to slow things down

These examples just scratch the surface of ways to slow down the process. Most salespeople aren’t comfortable with this strategy. But, when you’re behind, adding time and steps becomes your best friend. It gives you more opportunities to change the client’s mind. And it also increases the chances of your competitor making a mistake. Many competitors will get impatient (since they’re ahead, they’re trying to speed up the process and close it), some will even push back on the added steps, which adds to the FUD the client already (through your help) feels.

Give this strategy a serious look when you’re behind.

Have a great week!

Bob

P.S. Did you like this strategy? How to execute this as well as scores of other strategies when you find yourself in challenging sales situations are soon to be available in my What to Do Next Coaching Group (working title), all for less than a dollar a day for founding members. Reach out to me if you’re interested in more info: [email protected].