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Selling B2B
Services - converting warm leads
into eager clients.
(Part 2 of 2)
By Stuart Ayling
In Part 1 of this article we looked at how
to find prospects and gain an understanding of their true needs. In Part 2
we look at the final steps in the selling process.
Last time we reached the point where we held a meeting with our prospect
to determine what they are really looking for, and decided "Yes, we
can help them". So now we proceed to make...
3) Suggestions for future progress.
Note that this stage may be a separate meeting, or even a series of meetings. This is especially important if your prospect is a larger firm with multiple decision makers and influencers, or when the service you are offering is complex.
During this phase of the selling process explain:
 Why you can help them.
What they can expect in terms of timeframe, resources required, results, etc.
What they will need to do.
What you will be doing.
In some situations it might be wise not to give exact details of your activities. This
could be the case if:
For competitive reasons you need to protect your information.
If you think the client may decide to do it for themselves (using your process).
If there are issues to do with intellectual property (IP).
If the process is so complex/technical that it might confuse the prospect.
Using written proposals.
As part of the overall sales process you may need to submit a written proposal. If you do submit a proposal, make sure it is done at the end of the sales process - when you have identified
all relevant needs and discussed the scope of the solution.
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Important:
Don't use a proposal to "guess" at what the prospective client wants. If your proposal only contains guesses, then you'll usually be wasting your time. If you have trouble getting details because your prospect wont spend time with you to discuss their situation, maybe they're not very serious about making a decision.
Should you continue? |
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The written proposal should reflect what you have discussed with them, covering their stated needs and explaining how you will work with them. The proposal should be a summary of your previous discussions.
When to use a "draft" proposal.
If your service is complex, or carries a large price tag, then consider using a draft proposal as an interim measure. How do you do this?…
When asked for a proposal, rather than just saying:
"Yes, you'll have it next week"
... when really you're still not sure what to write, try saying:
"OK, we can get a draft proposal to you next week for discussion".
Use the occasion of presenting the draft proposal as an opportunity to further build the relationship and clarify all the important issues.
When handled properly, this process will make you look like a
professional, rather than an amateur trying to guess the clients needs.
After you've got this far, is your client still happy and eager to proceed?
If so, then…
4) Agree to the terms of the relationship.
By this time you have developed a degree of rapport with your prospect. You may have spent some hours together, and have looked carefully at their situation and considered some options.
Now is the time to close the sale.
Confirm 'how' you will work with them in writing.
The degree of
legalese in your document will depend on what tasks you are undertaking, the scope of the risk, and their expectations.
Be clear about payment - how much, when is it due, how is it paid.
Clarify responsibilities on both sides - who will do what and when.
Confirm start date and key milestones if applicable.
Congratulations... you now have an eager client.
You have found a prospect, identified their specific needs, matched your
benefits to those needs, confirmed that your prospect recognises those
benefits, structured a workable program to complete the job, and gained
their agreement to start.
Now it's a matter of following through with your promises and providing
exceptional client service.
But there's one last thing I'd like to mention...
5 ) When to do a "demo".
If you need to demonstrate your service or discuss how you have handled similar projects, think carefully about
when this should be done. Many service providers start off their sales presentation with this type of demonstration. They tell their prospect about what they can do, and
detail all the benefits they can offer.
But beware; the prospect is waiting for you to show interest in their specific
situation. So pay attention to them and start asking questions. When you know what is important to them you can do your demonstration with confidence, emphasising aspects that are particularly relevant for
your prospect, and avoiding aspects that aren't important.
By planning and controlling your sales process you can easily turn your warm leads into eager clients, developing a strong relationship along the way.
Happy selling!
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