“Busy is the new fine” and it’s having an impact on the way customers decide. Sure, customers have more information available to them than ever before. They are certainly empowered.
However, they also have more options and increasingly a lot less time and attention to absorb all that information. Customers are overwhelmed and anxious about making the wrong decision. That leads to a much longer buying cycle.
I relate. I am that overwhelmed customer. I’ve been driving the same car for more than 10 years. I keep thinking about buying something new and I’ve rolled through plenty of dealerships, but I can’t pull the trigger. Why? Because nobody has “sold” me a new car. I haven’t been convinced that driving a new car is greater than the pain of change. What if I made a mistake?
I can keep going. It isn’t just the car. It’s our CRM software, e-Learning platform and artwork for my loft. These are all sales opportunities that are stalled or stuck in the “I’m thinking about it” zone.
Your customers aren’t that different.
The biggest reason deals don’t get done today? Customers default to no decision. They’re interested in something new, they research and ask for more information, they evaluate and consider all their options … and then all those carefully-composed proposals end up in no-man’s land.
Are you making phone calls to follow up on the proposal?
The lesson: Sellers today need to show up prepared to elevate sense of urgency. You need to be the catalyst for the compelling event! IDC research shows B2B buyers complain that only 29% of sales reps are well prepared to engage with them. How do you prepare for impact? That is where the deals are won or lost.
In the enclosed video, I reveal how the best salespeople respond and win.
Ryan Estis is a Keynote Speaker & Management Consultant blogging about business performance.
