Ask the Coach: Getting shopped instead of bought

Welcome to week two of “Ask the Coach”. I have to admit, the first half dozen questions I have been asked are those from people facing challenges that require detailed and relevant answers. This is encouraging as the mentor, and I apologize to those of you who would like to get your answers sooner. I will get to you, however if you have an urgent need, just drop me a line and I will answer privately first.

Our second question is one relating to getting the data out there, but not seeing the revenue come back.

Dr. Wright of The Wright Place TV Show asks:

I am getting shopped far too often. I have people ask me to be part of a project, I work out a proposal, and then suddenly they have a friend that does the exact same thing and they want to work with that person.

I got shopped!

How can I keep that from happening in the future?

The answer Dr. Wright is relevant to the trainings I am discussing in my current posts. They are focused on gaining commitment. This is as I stated a couple of days ago, a lost piece of the sales process. It is one of the most important pieces, and without it you will lose most of your opportunities.

Clearly at some point in the process you have stopped asking for, expecting, delivering on commitment. I would recommend reading “High Probability Selling” for some great tips on gaining commitment. Also the last two posts clearly address this issue. For a quick overview:

1. Do not give quotes until you know who you are quoting in detail.

2. Do not offer a price until you have a commitment to buy.

3. If you do not have commitment to buy the entire way through the process, end the selling relationship.

4. Understand the budget before you present a quote.

5. If someone is unwilling to share data with you, you either have not done a good job establishing trust, or they are not worthy of your business.

 A difficult part of honing the sales process is accepting that without this commitment you do not have an opportunity. My recommendation is to:

1. Examine how you are getting leads and determine if they are “Sales Ready”.

2. Analyze your prospecting and discovery process and determine if you are uncovering real opportunity.

3. Study your value proposition and determine if it shows that people should be giving you money.

4. Look at the final steps in your sales process and determine if you have willing buyers before delivering proposals.

If you want to discuss this further, feel free to contact me for more advice.

Sales Training: Gaining Commitment – Budget »« Sales Training: Gaining Commitment – Getting answers to tough questions – Decision Makers