Do you always get that follow up meeting?
After each call, your leads should feel like they need more time with you. As long as they don’t lose that feeling, they’ll want to work with you formally.
This is easier said than done. And next steps won’t always happen. But here are three tricks you can use to give yourself the best chance to move forward (and your lead the best opportunity to fully consider your solution).
Mindset
One thing you can try, especially on first meetings, is to take the mindset that your main focus is not to sell, it’s to drive toward next steps. Your presentations should be about giving a good reason why your teams need to speak again. Structure your first call in a way that provides enough relevant information (but not too much) so that it’s easy for your lead to say, “Yes, this seems worth my time. I want to continue an evaluation. What comes next?” (‘What comes next,’ will depend on your sales journey. It could be a proposal, or a demo, or a wider team meeting, etc. The more you have a clear, standard process in place, the more professionalism you’ll exhibit.)
7 Minute Rule
It’s well-known that audiences lose interest and start shifting their attention after about 7 minutes of the same activity. These days, 4 minutes might be more accurate. Your presentation should break down into sections no longer than 4 minutes. Each section should have one key point, and ideally, it’s own hook — a compelling reason “this” solves a key pain point for your lead.
Cut-out 80%
Can you cut your presentation by 80% while you’re in the middle of giving it? Short, clear & concise sentences are more effective than wordy ones. Just get the key, high-level message out. Then back up to fill in other details based on your lead’s questions and interest. (If your lead is silent, try asking them more open-ended questions.)
You can create and win more opportunities! “Outbound Sales Demystified: Generate Leads and Close Deals” is a tips & tricks go-to guide for sales tactics, as well as a comprehensive overview on successful b2b selling strategy.
