Digital Sales Training Blog

Why should you ask for a next scheduled step at the end of a meeting?

No one knows what’s going to happen.

I talk to thousands of sales managers and their teams every year who bring up consultative selling, usually in this context: “Our sale is a little unusual. We do consultative selling.” I nod knowingly even though I want to challenge them by asking: “Really? You do consultative selling? As opposed to what, non-consultative selling? What would that be? What sales team believes they are doing non-consultative selling?” I say this jokingly because consultative selling is the only way to sell. The problem is that very few people really agree on what it is or what they need to do to incorporate consultative selling into their approach and sales process.

Being a sales professional has changed drastically over the years. From product focused selling and limited buyer touch points to solution-based selling and personalized buying journeys, the sales landscape has evolved. What does that mean for salespeople in 2020 and beyond? It means that sales professionals must become agile and adaptable. It’s not enough to have effective selling skills. Sales pros need the ability to assess a sales situation and then apply the right skill, at the right time, with the right decision-maker. On top of that, sales professionals must have the ability to seamlessly transition from one skill to another.

As a sales manager, your role is broad. You have to ensure your sellers are focused with all their activities and you’re responsible for everyone hitting their numbers. You don’t want to micromanage, but you need to be able to help and lead your team efficiently. Keeping your team on track with real sales and away from wasting their time with dead-ends is one aspect of being a great manager. You're likely tracking and measuring a significant number of KPIs already, but when you’re helping your team assess specific opportunities, how do you start a productive conversation? The foundation of sales coaching is about asking great open-ended questions. In this case the focus should be on moving away from "how much is the deal worth and when will it close" to more thought-provoking questions that can help move the deal forward and reinforce key selling skills at the same time. So, what questions should you be asking your team to ensure they are focused on opportunities that are worthwhile and qualified?

As a professional salesperson, a common challenge is creating a sense of urgency with your prospects and customers. Creating a sense of urgency without appearing aggressive or pushy is a learned skill based on conducting good discovery, understanding the needs of the prospect, and asking the right questions of the right people throughout your sales process. Urgency gives your prospects a reason to move forward and overcome inaction. You need to help them understand why every day, week, or month without your product hurts their business so they’re compelled to act as soon as possible.