How would you speed up your sales cycle?
Recently, a colleague shared with me an article on calculating your sales cycle, as an example of a succinct article. It identified three many factors that contribute to the length of time:
- Size of the Sale – with larger ones usually taking longer
- Complexity of the sales – with new things taking longer
- Approval process – where single decision makers take less time than multiple ones.
All three are focused on the buyer. Since most of our clients who want help boosting sales are the sellers, the sales presentation – in terms of content and delivery also has an impact. For instance, a few ways in which presentations are likely to accelerate the buying process when they:
- Provide the complete set of facts for the decision maker (generating trust and confidence)
- Organize the questions addressed in the same order as buyers are likely to ask them (mirroring)
- Address the emotional experiences and benefits that buyers will get if they buy
- Are attractive, concise and client-centered rather than buyer-centric (e.g., a data dump)
- Are presented at a time and place conducive to making decisions**
- Are delivered by a presenter who shares enthusiasm for the sale.
So, before you schedule your next sales campaign, figure out how you can address the buyers’ needs through more effective presentations!
** A recent study on parole hearings found only one factor that differentiated whether prisoners would be granted parole. Prisoners who presented their case in the afternoon (when hearing officers were more “fatigued”) were less likely to be granted parole.