It's one of the biggest frustrations of every salesperson. Customers who do not dare or do not want to make a decision. You have been asked to pitch or present. That goes well and you can submit a quote. Then there is no response, or you are told that it is 'too busy right now', or that there are 'other priorities'. The most annoying thing is that you have no control over it. You have no idea what's going on behind the scenes with your customer. Do they really not have time? Or are there other interests at play? The only thing you as a seller can do is optimally prepare your customer to make a choice. A choice for you of course! We have listed a number of tips.
Customers and preparation are half the battle.
We often forget that a sales process does not start with the first conversation. As soon as the request for a pitch or introduction is received, or even when proactively searching for possible leads, our work begins. For example, who makes the application? A decision-making person, or a supporting employee? Who is at the first meeting? Often, managers have their executive staff coordinate the pitch process. It often happens that the deciding manager is not even present during the conversation. We have even seen cases where an intern organized the first meetings with potential suppliers. Try to avoid that at all times. It is okay to ask who will be present during the conversation and whether these people have decision-making authority. This may seem too direct to you, but it can save you a lot of wasted time. Everyone benefits from clarity.
Name the bottleneck
We've finished it our blog has been mentioned before: the sales process is not a one-man show in which you try to sell your company as best as possible. It is mainly a process of listening and hearing what your customer needs. By 'hearing' your customer carefully about their bottlenecks, you are better able to draw up a good quotation that uses a problem-solving approach. It then becomes very difficult for your customer to be indecisive. Therefore, do not hesitate to discuss this during the sales process (i.e. before the... quote) make references to the solution you can provide. "So if I can offer you solution X at roughly rate Y, that will genuinely help you?" is therefore absolutely not a strange question to ask.
Brace yourself
'We don't have time to look at you right now quote to watch'. It is a common argument, but it does contain a grain of truth. The issues of the day cause many companies to postpone important decisions. For example, concluding a contract with new suppliers. So continue to ask the customer on a recurring basis to provide an update on the state of affairs. Even if the customer indicates that he or she will contact you when the process becomes opportune again. Don't settle for that. Obviously you shouldn't go too far in this, because then it will work against you. However, calling or emailing every two weeks to request a short update is definitely recommended.
Stay short and concise
Quotations are often half volumes. Long stories with many technical specifications and, above all, a lot of information. Please refer all this information to the appendix! It's only about 2 things in a quote: 'will you solve my problem?' And 'What does that cost?'. Well, those two things must come first. Briefly describe your solution, its benefits and the profits your customer will make (ROI/KPIs, etc.). Then state the price briefly and concisely. That's it, nothing more is needed. If you have prepared well during the sales process, spoken to the right DMU and listened carefully to the needs, then this should no longer be a problem.
Don't get in the way of yourself or the customer
Even with perfect preparation, a suitable solution and a top quote, things can still fail. There is simply nothing you can do about that, you do not always have control over the sales process and its outcome. However, you can prevent yourself from causing your customer to have doubts. Many sellers tend to spread their opportunities by offering multiple solutions. That is possible, but realize that this can encourage indecision. Keep it simple and there will be less chance of doubt. Compromising too quickly, offering discounts, or adjusting your solution in the meantime can also sow additional doubt in your customer's mind.