Confessions of a Sales Pro with Ian Selbie

Ep4: The 7 Deadly Sins in Selling - #4 The Premature Proposal Trap

November 19, 2020 Ian Selbie Season 1 Episode 4
Confessions of a Sales Pro with Ian Selbie
Ep4: The 7 Deadly Sins in Selling - #4 The Premature Proposal Trap
Show Notes

Learn more about my Sales Training & Coaching programs at www.SalesMentorU.com

What is the fastest way to get rid of a salesperson?  
 Ask for a proposal. 

The salesperson usually hurries back to their office to begin their proposal building process, and for some salespeople this is a major work of art. 

After countless hours, or days of work, the salesperson calls the prospect and says, "when can I show you our proposal?“ To which the unqualified prospect replies, "oh, just email it to me, we're really busy, but I'll read it this week!" 

A week passes, the salesperson follows up only to learn the prospect has not read it, but tells the salesperson to follow up in 9 months... Does this sound familiar? Never create a proposal for a prospective customer without a diligent client needs assessment and qualification process. 

If the prospect is not willing to invest some time in having you better understand their needs, then they're probably not really interested. 

Equally important, yet so often overlooked, always present your proposal in person to the entire team making the decision. 

Some salespeople trust their contact within the client's organization to present their proposal for them. The problem with this is that the contact is not qualified to represent your company's value, as they are not a salesperson and can't speak from experience about the many satisfied reference customers who deal with your company. They cannot thoroughly explain any details about your proposal that may need discussion.

QUESTIONS: 

  • How many proposals does your company produce in a year?  

  • How many of these proposals were created without first conducting a thorough client needs assessment and qualifying the opportunity?  

  • How many proposals did your sales force present in person last year?  

  • Through proper qualification and presenting your proposals you can increase your win percentage by at least 30% - what would this mean to your company?


Learn more about my Sales Training & Coaching programs at www.SalesMentorU.com