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Improve Performance, Provoke Thought, Think Critically.

You are constantly striving to improve.  You are looking for practical tips you can apply to your daily work that will impact your performance.  You are looking for advice from professionals who do the work. You want to engage with professionals who have been in your shoes.

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The Find My Catalyst Podcast is published weekly.  We take listener questions at @catalystsale on twitter or hello@catalystsale.com via email.

Topics discussed - Revenue Operations, Customer Success, Goal Setting & Execution, Mindset, Performance, B2B Sales, Sales Training, Product Market Fit, Growth, Hiring, Recruitment, Sales Process, Business Acumen, Startups, Leadership.

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  2. The Prospect or Client Goes Silent - Uh Oh - 113

The Prospect or Client Goes Silent - Uh Oh - 113

Oct 23, 2018

Common Question - What If The Customer/Prospect goes Quiet - How do I Get Them To Re-engage?

This is one of the more common questions we receive from listeners and from participants in our workshops/training sessions.  How do I get the client/prospect to re-engage?  

This week on the Catalyst Sale Podcast we discuss how to avoid this situation, what to do if you are in this situation, and we have a bonus question around sales rep compensation/credit.

Thank you for listening to, and sharing the Catalyst Sale Podcast.

Questions Discussed 

  • How do I get the customer to re-engage?
  • Why is this a common question?
  • Is it important that the content is generated by your organization?
  • What if you are in a rut, how do you get out?
  • Bonus Question - How do I make sure I get credit for the sale?

Key takeaways

  • Sometimes the question is driven by sales management and frequent requests for updates.  CRM may not be current, account plans may not be current.
  • Sometimes the question is a result of sales rep activity or perception.  They could be experiencing be a slump or rut.
  • Avoid the rut by not getting caught in the rut in the first place.
    • Project manage the sales cycle.
    • Establish clear next steps
    • Hold the client/prospect & yourself accountable to these next steps.
    • Create a reason to stay engaged.
  • Account Planning
    • Use your Account Plan.
    • Maintain a list of next steps - what are the 1, 2, or 3 items that I know that the client will need as they go through the buyer journey.
    • Know your gates.
    • Design your next steps based on the journey that you know your customer should go through. i.e. schedule time for the demo, define participants, identify questions, schedule a trial, etc.
    • Manage the buyer journey.
    • Next steps should not be scripted out, but you should understand the guideposts.
  • Always have a list of resources or pieces of information that you can share with the client/prospect that will provide value.
    • Whitepapers, blog posts, podcast, etc
    • Let them know that you have come across the post, and you thought of them.
    • Provide context
    • Have a call to action - this might be an open deliverable that the client is responsible for completing.
  • Take on the role of curator, you are curating information, don't fall into the trap of only sharing content you create.
  • Context is critical.
  • Don't fall into the trap of only working with one point of contact.  Expand your network within the organization.
    • Give yourself another option/person to communicate with.
    • Build up a level of trust with others in the organization.
  • What if you are in a rut, or the prospect/client has gone quiet - what do you do?
    • Be patient, don't let your problem become the customer's problem.
    • Evaluate the situation, where did things leave off?
    • Find something, a compelling event, a location, and use it as a reminder to re-engage.
  • It is about them, it is not about you.
  • Maintain a service-oriented approach.
  • Help your client solve problems.
  • Don't make up the story in your head.  Stay engaged.  Build your network.

Bonus Question - A Prospect Re-engages, How Do I Make Sure I get Credit for the Sale?

  • Sometimes a prospect/client will go silent, a couple of months later they may return via the website.  They fill out a lead form and get re-directed to someone else in the company.
  • You, as the rep are responsible for documenting your activity.
  • Ask the question - if you have been working with them for over a year, why did they come through the website?
    • Sometimes this is the result of client research.
    • Sometimes they are looking for a competitive quote.
  • Do your job - make sure you are following your internal process.
  • Ask the prospect - how did you find us?
  • Establish clear process & procedures.  Set expectations.
  • Sometimes it makes sense to double comp the team - you might identify a gap in your own process.

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Catalyst Sale

In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal.  There is a Catalyst.  We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. 

Sales is a Thinking Process.