Look, the truth is, b2b sales people all want the customer to have a sense of urgency when working with us. It simplifies the sales process because they are pushing to get things done.
So why are there times when the customer seems to be moving at the speed of a Glacier?
A lack of a sense of urgency to engage with you is due mostly by a lack of need for having a sense of urgency. What you need to see from your customers or prospects is one of four sources sparking a sense of urgency on their buying cycle.
Here are four sources of customer urgency…
- Need for Expertise
Some event has triggered urgency to find specific expertise to solve an issue, usually created by a superior or important stakeholder who wants the event to be solved or to go away quickly. - Competitive Issues
A competitor has raised it’s hand to get into a situation and this competitor has no intention of helping your customer or prospect. In fact, these are the highly at risk situation which can be either performance or politically motivated. - Lack of Performance
This is usually driven by a past decision which has not gone as projected and now the decision maker is at risk within their own organization – the customer or prospect organization. The decision maker is now engaged in a search to find someone to help them improve the situation – quickly – and save their reputation or performance. This is a high probability issue and action is needed immediately. Yet, you better know if your solution will fix the issue – if not, then passing is a better strategy. - Deadline Coming
Okay, here is an example of a project deadline approaching quickly and something is out of synch. The customer or prospect is now looking feverishly for an alternative solution to finish the project within the deadline framework. You will need to take fast action to prove you can deliver within the time frame allocated by the customer or prospect.
You want to find one of these four triggers for urgency on the part of the prospect or customer. When they have a clear source for a sense of urgency to be present, then you are in a position to accelerate a decision from your prospect or customer.
With a sense of urgency, the customer is looking for immediacy in responses and interaction. It is now time to invest more effort into your sales process with these customers since they are more inclined to make a decision to purchase rather than stall or delay a decision. Why? Because they need something more than you do at this point in time.
Move fast with a sense of urgency yourself and you will increase your opportunities for b2b sales success.
Voss Graham
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