--- tags: Week 8, H3, M12 --- # Closing next steps :::info ℹ️ You're in Step 3 of a demo call: Closing ::: Let's assume the scenario that everything went great and there are no further questions after sharing the meeting recap and asking for feedback. You know what to do now, correct? ;) The golden rule: :::info :bulb: “Don’t hang up the phone without getting alignment on the immediate next steps - no matter what!” ::: **Time to close the next steps!** It's unlikely your prospect will end the call saying "where do I sign?". Most often the next steps will look like one of these: - You agree to a follow up meeting with additional stakeholders - You agree to delivering additional input from either side - You agree to sending them a proposal Regardless of the specific next steps, you have to proactively steer your prospect in that direction. Many salespeople make their sales cycle unnecessarily long, because they're afraid to try and close next steps with their prospects. If you've paid attention to our course, you should have set expectations at the start of the call making it clear that next steps would be discussed at the end of the call. This will make the conversation go much smoother. Here are some ways to steer the conversation in that direction. - "On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being highest), how do you like what you have seen today? (If 8 and above) Great, what is missing to turn this into a 10? When is a good time to show you XYZ or discuss our proposal?" - "Based on what you have seen today, what got you excited the most? [xxx] Great, so does it make sense to move forward? If so, is there anybody else we should or need to involve at this point that we have not already talked to? If so, when is a good time to talk to him/her/them?" - "After the call, I am going to share additional information on feature ABC and its benefits with you. As next step, I will share a proposal that fits your needs. When is a good time to discuss, next Tuesday 3pm or Wednesday 9am?" Continuing the conversation from the previous lesson, it could go something like this: > You: Thanks for your time today Mr/Ms. Prospect. As a short recap, we identified your key pain points are X, Y and Z. We agreed that features A and B would be the most relevant for you and feature C wouldn't apply to your situation. All in all we both agree using [product] would enable you to [benefit 1] [benefit 2]. Did I get that right? > Prospect: Sure. I also believe feature C could be interesting for us down the road, just not at this point in time. > You: Great! I'll make a note of that. So all in all, could you see yourself using [product] in your organisation? > Prospect: Absolutely! > You: So on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being highest), how do you like what you have seen today overall? > Prospect: Mmh, definitely ranging between 8 to 9. This really looks like it would make our lives much easier. > You: Happy to hear. What is missing to turn this into a 10? > Prospect: A good price ;) > You: How about I create a proposal with what we have discussed today and we review together the day after tomorrow, 11am? The video below is taking it to the next level showing how you to secure your prospect's commitment at the beginning and at the end of the demo. There are questions you can ask that definitely increase the chances of advancing your deal to a potential close. The ones mentioned in the video are some we encourage you to learn to apply. The most important take-away for you: by the end of the call, make sure both you and the prospect have agreed on next steps and who does what by when. Never leave the ball up in the air, for you never want to see it drop to the floor 😉 {%youtube E1OxOKIMw4s %} <style> body > .ui-infobar, body > .ui-toc, body > .ui-affix-toc, body > .ui-community, body > .document-footer { display: none !important; } </style>