You’ve seen that round blue, white, and green logo with the letters ej and the number 4 on a few of our courses. Who the heck is that? ej4 is our close and dear partner. In fact, we’re so close with the team at ej4 that we literally share an office building. Seriously, we do.
Anyhow, Ryan Eudy is the CEO of ej4 and he wrote a very interesting article on how to help your sales team finish the year strong. I’d encourage you to give it a read.
The Final Countdown! Help Your Sales Team Finish The Year Strong
Written by Ryan Eudy, ej4 CEO
We only have 14 days left until the end of the year… repeat, we only have 14 days left until the end of the year! It seems like just yesterday we were planning to make that big push into the 3rd quarter, and yet here we are with only a few short weeks left in the fiscal year for many companies. Take a look at your organization, team, and individual goals and ask yourself this simple question, “How did we do this year?” By now you should know exactly where you stand and what you need to hit your goal.
As an organization how are you preparing your sales team to finish the year strong? Here are some ideas that will help get them through the finish line.
1. Communication, communication, and more communication – At this time of year people are reaching out to each of their prospects, both new and old, to find that last minute project and grab those final budget dollars that will disappear as many celebrate New Year’s Day. Be sure to clearly communicate the value of your product (or service) and stay on top of your follow-up tasks. Make a list of tasks to complete every day that clearly demonstrates the benefits to your prospect. You’re not the only one that is trying to get these dollars so you need to be a step ahead of your competition.
TIP: Make sure you’re using a CRM program to your advantage to track conversations and schedule follow-up tasks.
2.Whatever it takes! – Once you have established a clear communication plan, it is now time to execute your plan and get closer to closing the business. This could mean getting on a plane and conducting one-on-one product demos with your key prospects. The customization of your message is key. Take the extra time to complete the needs-analysis and tailor your approach to meet the exact business needs of the prospect.
TIP: Creating customized, short, mobile ready videos for your prospect is a great way to expand your reach in an organization while keeping the message consistent for all stakeholders.
3. Be creative – After all of the back and forth communication and demonstrations, you will likely be presented with a list of objections, and more than likely, price concessions. You need to be ready with answers to any objection that is thrown your way, and be prepared to answer with a “No, But, If” approach before saying “yes” to a laundry list of demands. Talk with your leadership teams to have a clear understanding on what you can control to gain a win-win solution for everyone involved.
TIP: Watch the course “Closing the Sale” to work on choice, direct, and urgency closes for your product/service.
Conclusion
As the great Yogi Berra once said “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” Don’t go into the end of 2013 scatterbrained. In your next sales meeting, put together a comprehensive plan to close the year on a positive note.
For more, visit us online at p1learning.com