End of Q2. Last week to reach the objectives also called"objos". Even if the pipes are relatively well filled, the team is stalling:
"My decision maker is on vacation but he'll be back on Monday: don't worry!"
"I'm waiting for my prospect to come back. He was supposed to call me back yesterday, but today is the day...".
You know it: it doesn't look good!
Yet on paper, everything was straightforward: a demo targeted at a precise need, two convinced champions, we would fit perfectly into the budget. Even the final decision maker was quick to respond!
What if we had simply... missed the boat?
A comparison to illustrate this ⚽ :
World Cup 2018. Semi-final. France-Belgium. Belgium seems to control the game. On paper, they have 63.6% of possession against 36.4% for the French. However, when we go into the details, we see that Les Bleus have shot 19 times (5 shots on target) against only 9 shots (3 on target) from the Belgians!
Final results: France shot twice more often, won the game 1-0, and went to the final.
You guessed it: In this deal, you are Belgium.
As soon as you feel you are close to your goal, it's time to step up your game. Don't be afraid to try! Of course, you won't score every time, but one thing is certain: if you don't try, you have no chance of scoring!
But then, what are the markers that indicate your prospect is mature?
When is the right time to accelerate?
And above all: how to trigger the closing?
I. Adapting to your prospect's timing
In a deal, there are two parties involved: You and your prospect.
On the prospect's side, it is important to understand and then adapt to their timing. So, if you are trying to close ...:
- Too early ⇒ The prospect has not yet had time to gather all the elements to validate the decision (agreement of all internal parties, technical feasibility, budget, etc.). You also risk looking like a shark or losing credibility.
- Too late ⇒ You missed the boat. The subject was fresh in the mind of the prospect, who wanted a quick solution to their problem, and you weren't effective enough. Either you've been de-prioritised, and you'll have to start from scratch, or they've turned to the competition. Not cool.
The right moment is when your watch indicates the same time as the prospect's. This is a short period of time => don't miss it!
💎 Some indicators that you are approaching closing :
- The prospect easily gives himself up
- He has clearly described to you each of the necessary steps on his side
- Calls are growing louder
- And above all, your prospect answers all your calls ;)
At this point, you have to go all out! You can then ...
II. Activate theclosing mode 🔥
Focus on the second stakeholder: you. At Modjo, we believe that there is a kind of closing mode to be activated (I love that expression!).
In fact, it means you're breaking out of the sales cycle routine to initiate a ramp-up. Your caller goes from "a random prospect" to "account I'm going to close this week".
During this period, you will notice a change in the attitude of sales representatives: even the most casual ones will stop being distracted. They know that this is a key moment.
Be clear about one thing:
If your prospects are willing to sign with you, they are also willing to sign with your competitors.
Anyone who has ever been overtaken at the last moment knows this. You have to stay focused until the end . This is the time to be as intense as possible, to stay top-of-mind.
So, when a prospect says "send me, your proposal by email, come back to me by email", this is how I react:
- I send the email and call the prospect: "I've sent you the proposal, I've put in [x] and [y]. I'm available if you need me.
- I set a date in the diary to validate the proposal. More than a date, it's a deadline.
- If I think it is necessary, I insist on getting as many stakeholders around the table as possible to validate the final details.
In short: Keep an eye out for weak signals. After you have taken the time to develop your sales cycle properly, press the button at the right moment. Finally, condense the last steps into a minimum of time, until the signing. A little sales leadership, and the deal is done ;)
III. How to trigger the closing?
In concrete terms, how does an acceleration work? Here are some tips on how to go on the offensive and trigger the closing phase:
Moving from open to closed questions
We lock in each of the key points with the client (value + vision). A complete recap. Once EVERYTHING is clear, we move on to the more operational issues:
"Can you confirm that you have validated this point with your director?"
"Now that we have agreed on [x aspects], is there any final point you would like to make before I write the offer?"
"We agreed on a start on the 10th, is that still OK with you?"
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Clearly define the operational next steps
Project everyone involved with your solution: implementation, kick-off, follow-up, milestones, administrative steps. It must be clear to everyone.
"I have spoken to our technical department and we can have the solution deployed in your home within two weeks. The kick-off will then take place on Wednesday. The next step is with your legal department. Once that's OK, we'll launch the engine."
"In an ideal world where we agree on pricing, when can we get started?"
Staying top of mind by creating urgency
Make sure you are the client's number one priority. You both have an interest in moving forward quickly. Topics that are "hot" and fresh in everyone's mind always progress 3x faster.
"Are we signing on the 25th or the 26th?" - "You need to be ready for June 1, now is the time to decide."
"If I send you a contract when we hang up, can you return it signed by the end of the week?"
💎 Advice: Keep some ballast in reserve to let go to speed up the signing. It's better to lose a few percent and be sure to sign than to miss out on the deal:
"I have discussed this internally, and as we really want to work with you, we can give you the discount on the first month. I should point out that this discount is only valid if we receive the signed contract before Friday."
Use the right tools
The customer experience also comes into play at the time of signing.
Tools like Yousign allow you to take everyone into account, as well as track the document. Practical and efficient ;)
Keep your responses to objections under wraps
Decision-makers know that the signing is an important moment for you. The smart ones will not hesitate to make a last-ditch effort to get the price down at the last minute. If there are a lot of people around the table, be sure that one of them will want to challenge you.
🛡️ "We wanted to see you, because we have just received a proposal 15% cheaper from your competitors..."
🔑 "Indeed, they are less expensive. In return, the support they offer is less extensive than ours. Where you will just have an interview at start-up, we do a monthly follow-up with your teams. Do you think your teams would appreciate having someone available in case of a glitch?
This is just one example, but don't think that just because you have an appointment to sign,that it's a sure thing!
⇒ Stay alert, and be prepared.
Bonus: When your prospects are ready to sign ...
In the final exchanges, gather as many people as possible to clear up any remaining objections, so that everyone is OK with the conclusion. Remind them of the impact of the problem on the customer, and how you are responding to it perfectly. The prospect must feel understood!
"We have everything to gain by signing this deal. On your side you will be able to [...], on ours we can finally [...]. So what are we waiting for?"
Conclusion:
Many deals are not completed because the salesperson lacks confidence. We "miss the boat", we don't dare to be "incisive" enough.
Go for it! In the worst case, you will be told that it is too early because [reason x], and you will now know what the next steps are to validate.
One last piece of advice, don't make the closing too sacred. Even though it is the culmination of a lot of work, I think that this phase is not as technical as a good negotiation, or a deep discovery phase.
If you have done your homework beforehand, everyone is aligned, and you respect the timing, the closing will be a formality ;)
Best,
