Tag Archive for: sales process

Sales Cycle

Follow the Sales Cycle EXACTLY! Here’s Why…

For the best results, it is important to know and follow the sales cycle exactly as it is written. Overall, most of you agree on and implement certain steps at the right time. But as some go along in their careers, they start to relax and do their own thing… 

Then, they wonder why their sales are inconsistent! 

That is because the sales cycle builds upon itself. Jumping around or not fully completing steps weakens your position with the customer… 

AS A RESULT, SALESPEOPLE WHO DO THIS HAVE THEIR CLOSING RATIO AND COMMISSIONS SUFFER.

For that reason, I decided it would be helpful to explain the theory behind the steps of the sale. And, why they are laid out in that particular order. 

After all, knowing why something is the way it is creates more certainty and understanding about it. 

So, let’s get into it so you can start making it work for you.  

The Sales Cycle in Order (And Why Each Step Counts) 

As I mentioned, simply knowing or going through the motions of the sales process is not enough. That’s why the number one requirement for sales training should be knowing those steps like the back of your hand…

AND IN THE PROPER SEQUENCE!

Take a minute to review the video below if you have any doubt that you can. (Or, feel free to refresh and test your memory.) 

Now that we have that out of the way, we can break down the sales cycle into its nuts and bolts… 

Greeting

Look, I am not going to insult your intelligence by overexplaining this one…

You greet the customer first because it would be awkward to do it in the middle of a conversation! 

That being said, that does not mean you half-ass the customer greeting. 

Do it with a great attitude, full attention, and intention, then move to the next point in the process. 

Fact-Finding 

At this point in the sales cycle, the order of the steps becomes absolutely non-negotiable…

Because if you miss or mess up the qualifying stage you’ll either: 

  • Select the wrong product for the buyer and have to re-present. (Best-case scenario) 
  • Frustrate the prospect — as well as yourself — and lose the sale. 

Additionally, trying to fact-find later in the game makes people feel like they are not being heard — which affects rapport. 

Once you flesh this out, it’s time to build value. 

Product Demonstration

I already stated that you present your product after fact-finding so you show the buyer the right one for them. But, there is another advantage to this step’s position…

YOU KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CUSTOMER AND THEREFORE CAN SHORTEN THE SALES CYCLE!

That means more deals inked in less time. And who wouldn’t want that? 

Just make sure that you are highlighting what the client has told you they need, and you’ll be golden. 

 

Then, you are going to start making things official with the prospect… 

Proposal 

The issue most salespeople have with this part of the sales process is not doing it at the wrong time…

BUT RATHER NOT DOING IT AT ALL. 

The reality is that you should write up a proposal for every person who you attempt to sell to. 

For one, people believe what they see, not what they hear. A sales proposal lays out all the terms of the deal and helps the customer feel confident in buying. 

On the other side of that, this is ideally done after you’ve shown them the correct inventory. After all, a proposal for something that won’t solve the problem is worthless… 

Also, in contrast to popular belief, you write up your terms before the negotiations in the sales cycle. 

Let’s go into further detail about why… 

Negotiations & Close

Throughout the early stages of the sales process, it is all about emotion and excitement to get your customer to close. 

But during the negotiations and close, it is strictly calm logic. All of this is reflected in the rules for handling objections in negotiations.  

AND YOUR PROPOSAL IS YOUR GREATEST WEAPON AT THIS PHASE OF THE SALES CYCLE. 

Your write-up has all the relevant terms of the deal — which justifies the price. This also gives the customer and yourself room to add or remove product features while saving face. 

At the end of the day, you are trying to help your buyer solve a problem.  

Sometimes, you need to tweak the terms to get the deal done. A well-written proposal just makes that an easier and smoother process. 

Although this has covered the entire theory behind the sales process’s order, there’s one more thing…

The root cause of why sales professionals don’t adhere to it. 

Why Sales Rookies& Professionals Alike Switch Around the Sales Cycle 

There are only a couple of reasons why you would not follow the road to the sale as it is laid out…

  1. You don’t know the order of the sales cycle. 
  2. Or, you are weak in several areas of it so neglect them.

The solution to both of these problems is a strong sales training curriculum. Even if you learn these fundamentals at the beginning of your career…

You need to refresh yourself continually to stay on the top of your game. 

With that in mind, Cardone University has built-in accountability and a gradual increase in difficulty. This makes it ideal for wherever you are in your sales career.  

Nevertheless, sales is a teachable skill and produces predictable results if you follow the well-known path. 

Do that and you’ll be great. 

— Grant Cardone 

Disclaimer: This content is intended to be used for educational and informational purposes only. Individual results may vary. You should perform your own due diligence and seek the advice from a professional to verify any information on our website or materials that you are relying upon if you choose to make an investment or business decision. Investment, real estate, and business involve great risk and there is no guarantee of performance or results.

We are not attorneys, investment advisers, accountants, tax professionals or financial advisers and any of the content presented should not be taken as professional advice. We recommend seeking the advice of a financial professional before you invest, and we accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage you may incur.

Grant Cardone

3 Things that Will Make or Break Your Sales Process

Without a shadow of a doubt, the close is the most important part of the sales process. That is because you cannot be valuable to your customer until you close them— i.e they can’t benefit from your product or service. This step is also where you will get 100% of your income. I want to share with you the 3 Things that Will Make or Break Your Sales Process because it is so critical to your survival as a salesperson. 

 

If you do these things along with the rest of your sales training, you’ll be on your way to becoming a master of the close. 

1. Your Relationship with the Customer 

 

The first thing that will make or break you in the close is your relationship with your customer. You need to make sure that you close your customer at the right time. If you don’t have a good understanding of what their needs are, your deal can break down very quickly. 

 

I want to be very clear. I am not talking about being nice here. You have to be willing to apply pressure and “tough love” to your customer. When you are completely sold on your product or service, you will not be afraid of pushing them. You will know closing them is the ethical thing to do. That brings us to our next point. 

 

2. How Sold Are YOU?  

 

This second point on this list should probably be number one because it affects your whole sales process with every prospect. 

 

To the degree that you are sold is the degree to which you can sell others. 

 

You need to completely believe in what you’re selling. Your customers will sense any doubt you feel about your product, which will influence your ability to close. This isn’t only for the benefit of your customer, it benefits you as well. Knowing you are doing the right thing by closing others on your product will make you feel better about yourself. 

 

Sales training can’t make you great if you aren’t convinced your product is the best. 

3. Be with the Decision-Maker 

 

Finally, the last thing that can affect your close: Are you with the decision-maker? You can be pumped about your product and have a great rapport with who you’re talking to; but if you’re not talking to the person who can write the check, there will be no close. 

 

Earlier on in the sales process, there are tools to find out if you’re with the decision-maker. You should also be aware that there can be more than one. 

 

Know who the decision-maker is, you need to sell and close them. 

 

These are the 3 things that can make or break you in the close. As you can see, they are all things that you can easily overcome once you spot them. Learning the rest of the sales process is important, but you will only be rewarded in the close. 

 

To learn more about the theory of the close and scripts for every situation, check out the course at cardoneuniversity.com.

 

Be Great,

Grant Cardone 

 

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