When is it time to say yes?
When is okay to say yes?
The readers of this blog have a variety of products and services that they sell. I am sure that your overall sales process can be anywhere from 1-week to 5-years. I just heard a quote from a colleague that I want to share;
“The sales process in our industry is over 700-days long;
Day 1 is NOT the time to say no to the prospect”
I spend a lot of time in industrial type product development. We run into a lot of close-minded people from the factories we represent and their engineering groups. These groups are over-worked, over-tasked, and in many ways really are too busy to work with some of our new requests. We find that out especially if those requests come in from a new prospect, or worse a new prospect with even a newer idea. How are you going to fire up your inside team to get a job quoted, or a concept reviewed? Whatever your sales & development process is in your organization, there needs to be room for innovation and creativity. There needs to be time allowed to take a look at a round peg in a square hole application. After all, you never know where your next ‘standards’ will be found, or your next success lies. Using the above quote, regardless of your new business opportunity screening mechanism, day 1 is NEVER the right time to say no. You have either been approached by this prospect as someone that needs your expertise, or your sales person has turned over a rock that found it. Regardless, if this prospect passes phase 1 of the screen (they can pay for it!) then you owe something to the effort. Whether it’s a cursory look to see if it’s feasible, to a review of the market and determine overall potential. Your team needs to have this opportunity to say yes, as well as the long-term right to say no. What’s wrong with working a prospect for a few weeks or months to gather information on this market, application, device, or new technology? Unless you are being asked to donate hundreds of engineering and development hours right off the bat, can’t your tech group spend 15-minutes a week or so to at least give it some thought? I believe this blog is more directed to engineering, operations and sales managers to open your eyes, minds and thought process. In today’s difficult business development arena, we need to “plan for spontaneity”. If you and your teams are having a difficult time screening your prospects, Pinnacle Sales offers excellent assistance in helping you define these processes. Give us a call or send a mail to …
Pinnacle Sales, LLC
418 Main Street, Suite 6
Belleville, MI 48111
(734) 516-0221
Pinnacle Sales is an agency that offers support to clients in any area of the sales & marketing process. From planning to implementation, business development to training.