Have you ever spent months or even years nurturing leads, only to have them suddenly write you off? If you’re tired of pushing the proverbial rock up a hill, it’s time to make the sales cycle shorter and more efficient.
Our guest, Kevin Snow, founder and CEO of Time One Target, is here to help. With over 20 years of experience as a technology and internet marketing sales leader, Kevin has worked with entrepreneurs and sales organizations to close over $150,000,000 in new business.
In this episode and post, Kevin will outline how he used existing relationships and better communication to achieve faster sales growth. We explore his journey from running a networking organization to helping businesses close more sales by understanding their sales process and leveraging technology. We’ll also discover how to use Kevin’s tips to shorten your sales cycle and drive growth now.
About Kevin Snow
Kevin Snow is an inspiring leader who has helped businesses close over $150,000,000 in new business. After spending 20 years in sales leadership and technology marketing, Kevin founded Time One Target, a consultancy and training service to help companies to close more sales and better understand their sales process.
Through his time in the US Army National Guard, Kevin gained a unique perspective on building relationships, which he has used to help entrepreneurs and sales teams reach their goals. In addition, Kevin is passionate about process development and assisting businesses in designing sales programs that they can scale and grow.
Why shorten my sales cycle to drive growth?
Sales teams need to shorten their sales cycles to drive growth because it helps to reduce customer acquisition costs and improves customer satisfaction. A shorter sales cycle means customers can respond faster to their inquiries and receive their product or service more quickly. This leads to a lower customer acquisition cost because customers are more likely to buy from a business that can quickly provide them with a product or service.
Additionally, a shorter sales cycle can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, as customers are more likely to purchase from a business that promptly provides them with what they need. Shortening your sales cycle also helps to increase customer retention and referrals.
Customers are more likely to continue to purchase from a business that can provide them with a product or service quickly and that their inquiries are responded to promptly. A shorter sales cycle also leads to increased referrals, as customers are likelier to recommend a business to their friends and family if they had a positive experience. This leads to an increase in sales and growth for the business.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
1. Stop focusing on the “big yes” at the end of the sales process.
2. Understand that it is okay to disqualify prospects.
3. Have a fallback plan for the prospect to help them find what they want.
1. Stop focusing on the “big yes” at the end of the sales process.
First, it is important to understand the concept of closure in a sales context. Closure means that at the end of every conversation, the salesperson and the customer clearly understand the next step and what will happen. This mindset helps avoid the endless cycle of follow-ups, where salespeople constantly reach out to check on pricing and contracts without making any progress.
To avoid unnecessary sales cycle delays, it is important to screen prospects carefully to ensure they are a good fit for the business and its services. If a prospect is not a good fit, it is important not just to leave them hanging with no solutions but to refer them to someone who can better help them.
This will help to maintain good relationships and a positive brand reputation. Finally, it is important to have a firm understanding of the sales process to teach others how to effectively sell the product and help them quickly and efficiently close more sales.
It is also important to remember that the sales process does not have to be linear. For salespeople to be successful, they need to be flexible and adaptive to the customer’s needs. This means that salespeople should be able to quickly pivot and adjust their approach depending on the customer’s needs. This could mean taking a more consultative approach, discussing the customer’s challenges, or providing an in-depth demonstration of how the product works. A thorough understanding of the product and the customer’s needs will help salespeople better tailor their approach and ultimately be more successful.
Finally, it is essential to remember that the sales process is a two-way street. Salespeople should listen to customers’ needs, address their concerns and questions, and provide value throughout the conversation. This will help to establish trust with the customer and create a lasting relationship. The key is to focus on the customer’s success, not just the sale. By doing this, salespeople will be more successful in closing more sales and avoiding the “big yes” at the end of the process.
2. Understand that it is okay to disqualify prospects.
To understand that it is okay to disqualify prospects, it is important to focus on the sales process. Processes should be efficient and short, allowing businesses to gain market share and better cash flow. One key element is focusing on closure rather than the close.
The closure is the understanding that if a prospect says no, that’s okay, and it’s also okay if a business says no. This mindset helps to create a sales process that isn’t a never-ending cycle of follow-ups and reaching out. It is also important to screen prospects well to ensure that they are the right fit for a business and that a business is the right fit for them. If a business is not fit, it is important to provide a fallback position for the prospect and introduce them to a business that can help them get the desired outcome. By understanding the process and focusing on closure, a company can close 80% of sales in one meeting.
It is also important to remember that it is okay to disqualify prospects from providing the best customer experience. If a prospect is not the right fit for a business, providing them with the resources and knowledge to find what they are looking for is important. This can be done through referrals or by introducing them to other resources that meet their needs. This allows the business to focus on those prospects that are the right fit and to provide them with the best experience. Another way to ensure that it is okay to disqualify prospects is to provide a guarantee.
For example, many businesses offer a money-back or satisfaction guarantee to ensure customers are happy with their purchases. This allows businesses to feel more comfortable about disqualifying prospects who are not the right fit, knowing that there is a safety net in place for their customers. By offering a guarantee, businesses can ensure that they provide the best experience to their prospects while disqualifying those who are not the right fit.
3. Have a fallback plan for the prospect to help them find what they seek.
The third step in this process is to have a fallback plan for the prospect to help them find what they want. This can be done in a few different ways. First, it is important to understand the various needs of each prospect and work to find a solution that will meet their needs.
This could mean introducing them to another business or service provider better suited to meet their needs or providing other recommendations for products or services that work for them. When providing a fallback plan, it is also important to ensure that the prospect isn’t still feeling like they have been abandoned.
This could mean providing them with resources or contacts that could help them in the future or even offering to stay in touch with them and provide guidance if needed. An underlying principle in this process is ensuring the prospect feels heard and respected. Understanding their needs and providing a fallback plan can show them that their needs have been acknowledged and their time has been valued.
Provide feedback
Providing feedback to the prospect on the fallback plan offered is also important. This feedback can help ensure that the prospect is fully informed and that the fallback plan is the best solution.
Additionally, providing feedback can help to build trust between the business and the prospect. This feedback can be provided through emails, phone calls, or in-person meetings.
Finally, it is important always to be willing to adjust the fallback plan if the prospect’s needs change. For example, if a prospect is looking for a different service or product, it is important to be willing to adjust the fallback plan to meet the new needs. This flexibility can help to ensure that the prospect is getting the best solution for their needs, and it can also help to build trust between the business and the prospect. By having a fallback plan and remaining flexible, businesses can help ensure their prospects are satisfied and respected.
In conclusion, shortening your sales cycle is key to driving growth and increasing customer loyalty. To do this, it is important to understand the concept of closure and use the closure mindset process to help you achieve faster sales growth.
Additionally, screening prospects carefully and providing a fallback plan if they are not a good fit is important. Following these steps and understanding the sales process can shorten your sales cycle and drive growth. With the right mindset and process, you can achieve the same results as Kevin Snow and help your business close more sales and drive growth.
I’d love to hear how you apply the closure mindset process to get faster sales growth. So leave me a comment on how it went for you, or drop me any questions you want me to answer!
Some topics we discussed include:
- Why we should stop going for the close but go for the closure instead
- How to close 80% of your sales in one meeting
- How to evolve sales conversations for an educated buyer
- How to use automation to accelerate the sales cycle
- How Kevin Snow transformed his job into a scalable business
- Strategies for moving clients from not knowing you to being your best customer
- The benefits of disqualifying prospects and networking with competitors
- And much, much more…
Listen to the episode
Related links and resources
- Check out Time On Target
- Learn from Dan Portik – How to Create an Automated Sales Funnel to Scale Your Business Growth
- Check out – How a Content Marketing Campaign Solves B2B Lead Nurturing Challenge
- Learn from Nelson Gilliat – How to Easily Drive Growth Fast With Sales Prospecting Methods
- Learn more from Mandi Graziano – Empathy in Sales: How to Easily Build Influence to Drive Growth
- Learn from Jamal Reimer – What is Enterprise Sales and How to Develop a Process to Boost Growth
- Learn from Simone Vincenzi – How to Build a Personal Selling Process That Boosts Sales: 7 Steps
- Learn from Tom Williams – What is B2B Sales and How to Create a Successful Sales Process
Connect with Kevin
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