Nailing the Deal

I wanted to share a few tips about identifying milestones during a "sales" conversation so we can learn from our experiences in turning a potential "client" into a real client. While I am not currently "selling" anything, i have been put through thousands of dollars of negotiation training by previous employers (I been through this: http://www.karrass.com/ )and so maybe some of this might be helpful (or at least thought provoking for your personal sales process: whether you are selling a product, service, or just yourself!)

The idea here is that you are talking with someone (intentionally or by happen-stance) and an opportunity to turn the conversation into a job looks like a possibility. Well, I am hugely in favor of the low-pressure pitch, but more importantly people who sell their services have a tendency to refine the message that is their product or service, but don't take enough time to listen and watch for key moments in the "sales" communication moment.

Before I outline the key milestones, I want to manifestly explain what I am NOT promoting:

• I am personally not in favor of turning every conversation (with friends and acquaintances) into a sales pitch. Nothing is more frustrating than this.
• I am not going to explain what "low-pressure" sales pitch looks like. I can say however that low-pressure does not mean "look sleepy" or "look like you don't care." I have heard so many people explain that they are low-pressure and when they pitch, they look like they just took a sedative or came from a massage. This may help you sell to feel that way, but it isn't sending the message that you are low-pressure... it just looks lackadaisical. Low-pressure doesn't mean "attitude" or "laid-back presentation style" as much as it means letting the "client" naturally come to intelligent conclusions.
• I am not selling anything myself, so these are just ideas that seem to be mostly true.

OK, here are the key conversational milestone, in order:

• The "client" has a need
• You take interest in the need
• The "client" explains their need
• You tell the "client" that you perform services that meet their need
  
• milestone one: you are facing a real opportunity
  
• The "client" asks you to explain your services. Sometimes the "client" will begin to ask specific "how" questions with regard to your service execution of their specific need. This type of question at this stage means they are trying to get a free-bee. They are window-shopping with an empty wallet.
• You explain THAT you can meet their need by referencing an instance on a high-level where you have met such a need and not explaining HOW you would meet their particular need. You need to move them into a more intuitively deal-making mode which isn't really happening right here, right now.
  
• milestone two: you have gotten the fact that you provide services they need in front of them
  
• You ask: Would you like to setup an appointment to discuss HOW I might be able to help?
• The "client" wants you to explain all of that right now because they are in a non-committal mode of conversation and would like to window-shop your services but your question provokes a more structured approach toward cutting an actual deal and they agree to setup a meeting.
• You immediately pencil down an appointment so you can "make your need and our conversation an priority" and tell them you will contact them to confirm and remind them in the next few days (you are playing secretary/personal assistant right now.)
  
• milestone three: you have an opportunity to actually pitch in an environment that is more committal in nature than an unstructured conversation
  
• You bring to the meeting a case-study of work you have accomplished that is similar to their need. A specific portfolio.
• The "client" explains their needs in greater detail comparing and contrasting their need with your portfolio because you ask them to do this along the way (this is what you want.) The key here is that you are still dealing with WHAT their problem is and not HOW, which means you aren't yet at the deal-making stage.
  
• milestone four: The "client" is making specific intuitive associations between their more specific needs and your ability to meet those needs.
  
• You ask the following specific yes or no questions:
  
  - Do you like what I've done in this case(s)?
  - It sure seems that this opportunity you are currently facing is important for you to solve right now. Is that right?
  - Is there any reason that might keep you from taking action on this opportunity right now?
  
  The key here is to elicit "yes" answers from your three questions. You are warming them up both to say the word "yes" by practicing saying it and helping them build a case to hire you. Sales material will tell you that just getting them to say "yes" three times before asking them to "buy" will assure that you get the deal. This isn't always the case. We are not playing mind games, we are making specific positive connections between their need and your product or service.
  
• You pay attention to each answer they give and take notes (every time they talk, take notes: this helps you address their needs, stay focused on a two-way conversation and helps them feel how important they are to you and your business.)
  
• milestone five: The "client" is turning into a real client because they are now manifestly associating the reality of their need with your ability to meet that need and they now want to know HOW you will specifically meet their "unique" needs.
  
• If they answer "yes" to your three important questions, then give them a moment to think about your questions and their answers. Time to think is important for settling into a decision, especially if things are moving in a positive. It takes the pressure off of the moment and feels to them like hiring you is a more intuitive response to the situation.
• Sometimes the "client" will begin to ask specific "how" questions with regard to your execution of their specific need. This type of question at this stage means they are ready to "deal" and you are turning the "client" into a real client.
• Tell them that you would like to work with them and ask them for the job before taking more time on setting down a specific road map.

The ideas here are that you don't want to rush them into saying "yes, I will hire you" in a non-committal manner only to turn around and disappear or say "no" a few days later. And the way you accomplish this is (again):

1. Know their is a real need,
2. Intelligently inform them that you can meet their need,
3. You have secured an opportunity to pitch that in a real business-deal-making environment (this is very critical and it doesn't mean in an office, just not in an environment where the deal has no real hope of being made)
4. The client is making specific connections with the details of their need and the details of your services,
5. The client wants to know more about the HOW (starts talking around a deal)

...and so you are ready to cut a deal. I think it is more helpful if you know where you are in these kinds of conversations and get the psychology of how people make smart decisions. This is "by feel" in terms of getting the right environment working for you, but intentionally knowing where you and the client are in the process of cutting a deal helps you navigate the conversation toward the next milestone!