How To Get Busy Prospects to Take Action

Getting Back on Track
Here’s an all-too-familiar sales scenario. You’ve done your research, gained access, scheduled a meeting, done pre-call sales planning, and are well into a conversation designed to build a relationship and help your potential new client to succeed. But you sense the prospect is hesitating. How can you get prospects to take action?

In fact, your target client buyer seems overwhelmed with other concerns and asks to postpone the discussion until a future date. How can you get the conversation back on track and get your busy prospect one step closer to taking action?

The Critical Pivot
Business sales training experts know they must seize the opportunity to find out what their priority is. Acknowledge that you appreciate how busy they are. Let them know you’d like to help them reach their goal but need to understand what they are trying to accomplish so that when you reconnect you will be better prepared to address their specific issues.

Continuing the Conversation
Now is when your business acumen, industry expertise, and solution selling experience really comes into play. Rarely do you run into a prospect with an absolutely unique problem. More likely, you have helped clients solve similar challenges. Refer to a previous success story that fits — one that can establish your understanding of your prospect’s unique situation and your value as an expert.

Your Goal as a Salesperson
Keep your focus on helping your client to succeed. When you can relate specifically and meaningfully to your prospect’s priorities, you have uncovered the pathway to differentiate yourself as a trusted business advisor rather than a just a salesperson looking to meet their quota.

Will you always be able to move the conversation forward and reengage the prospect? No. But the more receptivity you create, the closer you can get to the nugget that will provide meaningful follow-up opportunities so that you can add value when the time is right.

The Bottom Line
Listen to sales management training experts, never simply accept a prospect’s delaying tactics. Be respectful but make the point that you can only help if you have a better idea of what problems they face. Only then can you make connections that provide real value.

To learn more about how to get busy prospects to take action, download How to Move Beyond Consultative Selling To Win