How to get an orderWhen working with individuals and local or national sales teams, we recommend the following steps when qualifying prospects.  You may need to modify the concepts to better fit your specific industry and market segment.  We think you will agree that the steps will typically hold true across the board.  The questions are quite blunt and modification to your own style, your own internal dialogue, is necessary.  Please keep in mind that these are guidelines, not scripts.

• Identify, quantify, and define your prospect’s objectives * (see expansion of this topic below)

• Ask - If we achieve these objectives, do we have an order?

• Ask - Who determines whether we have achieved these objectives?

• Ask - Are there any other reasons why you could not do business with me or our firm?

• Ask - Are you psychologically prepared to fire your existing supplier and hire us?

• Set a strategy with your prospect to achieve these objectives.

Don’t forget:

• Strategize your timing for delivering your proposal.

• Ask for the order often.

• Describe the transition process where the prospect fires their current supplier and hires you.

* Defining the Prospects’ Objectives:

In our experience, the number one breakdown of the sales process is the failure to identify your prospects’ objectives.  This is a weakness in the system and occurs close to 100% of the time.

It is also one of the top reasons as to why proposals are unsuccessful.  Without clearly defined objectives to achieve, the prospect generally decides on the basis of price rather than the terrific products, services, and commitment you are offering.

According to Webster’s Dictionary:
Main Entry: objective
Function: noun
a) something toward which effort is directed: an aim, goal, or end of action;
b) a strategic position to be attained or a purpose to be achieved.

Here are some suggestions:

• Are the prospect’s objectives clearly defined?

• Are they meaningful to the prospect?

• Are the objectives measurable?

• Are the objectives reasonably attainable?

• If the objectives are not clear, can you define them on behalf of your prospect?

…and some ideal questions to help in identifying prospect objectives:

• Where do you see your company in 2012?

• What are the key hurdles to improving your company’s sales/manufacturing/distribution/service processes?

• What two things would you change in your company?

• What is the single most important issue facing your industry/your company?

• How about your own career and personal development over the next few years?

• If you could ask any question, what burning question would you ask me?

Your Sales Coach assignment:'

Identify at least five objectives for each of the prospects you are working on right now.

Go back to your prospecHere are two objectives for free: Competitive Costs and Proactive service.  Both of these are always in the mix – so, see if you can identify three additional business objectives of your prospect.t and explain their objectives to them; if appropriate, put the objectives in writing and wrap your creativity, energy, expertise, products, and services around achieving their objectives.  An improvement in determining the prospect’s objectives will result in leveraged hit ratios.

Best wishes are flying your way,

Sales Coach Newsletter is a product of Redmond Group, Inc.  We are specialists in the systematic process of developing and retaining new business.  We design sales and retention process maps and unique measurement tools to track progress to meet business objectives.  We conduct in-house workshops, individual and sales team coaching, Webcasts and assist with product launches.
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