Without a sense of urgency, sales rarely get made. Buying decisions will float aimlessly without rhyme or reason, and at some point eventually fade away, often dying a very slow death much to the dismay of the salesperson and sales manager.
Creating a sense of urgency in the sales process is a delicate concept to balance for most salespeople. It has to be finely tuned and applied correctly in order to be effective. Too much urgency can turn into acts of over-aggression and outright desperateness which can turn the prospect off, yet too little puts the salesperson on the defensive with no control over managing the sales process.
Good salespeople are constantly moving the sales process forward in some way, shape or form. They very rarely operate in reactive mode, striving for a consistent proactive approach. They remain alert, confident and possess a great attitude throughout the entire sales process from start to finish.
The key is to set the tone early with the prospect. In the first few seconds of your initial conversation, it is imperative for you to project yourself on a peer-to-peer level and to make your intentions clear.
Creating a time frame is key to establishing a sense of urgency in the sales process. Work backwards from the time your product/service is implemented to signing the contracts. This will help you to create a sense of urgency by using the prospect’s desire to have your product/service in place. Moreover, trial close along the way. You have to give the prospect a time frame in order to create a sense of urgency. Sometimes, offering better pricing will enable you to create a sense of urgency, but you have to be careful not to come across as too slick or cheesy.
Good salespeople understand that creating a sense of urgency has a direct correlation with choosing to work with qualified prospects and not wasting time with bad prospects.
