Wouldn’t it be great if you could predict the exact moment your prospect was going to make a purchase? I’m sure it would impact a ton of things if you had that info. You’d be able to prioritize better, you’d get better at predicting revenue, you’d have a more accurate sales funnel, and you’d be a better resource to your prospects. Your ability to time your engagement with them would get better and be of more value than just a stop-by or periodic call. 

Well, here’s the deal….I’ve spent an entire career figuring out the exact moment our prospects will buy and I finally have it dialed in. Would you like to know? Ok, here you go….

Prospects buy when they are READY. 

Yup, thats right. That’s the moment. The prospect must be ready to make the purchase and the organization has to be ready to receive the solution or product. Otherwise, no go. 

You can sell your heart out, you can have a well rehearsed script, and you can push them along a little here and there, but unless they are ready to buy, any effort you expend will be harder than necessary. 

So, you’re thinking to yourself “Well, how will I know they are ready?” Good question. 

Most prospects won’t give you that information right away. They have to know they can trust you first. They need to know that you have positive intent and that you won’t use that information against them somehow. They need to know you aren’t going to push them into a sale they don’t need. 

Here is the shift we have to make: rather than positioning ourselves as a salesperson, we need to position ourselves to help prospects buy. That’s what they really want. They want someone on their side, someone they can trust. They want someone to help validate their decisions, because, let’s face it, most of their purchasing decision-making happened before you got there. 

I spend much of my time, early in the sale, focusing on the prospect, gaining trust, showing them I can be a resource, and mining for information about when they will be ready to buy. I approach each new relationship exploring whether there is a fit for what I am selling, and assuming there is, then I start helping them buy.  Then, when the moment of readiness happens, my prospect and I can cross that line together. 

Take a look at your stalled or stuck deals….which of them can you help get ready to buy? Who can you schedule a meeting with this week to start to uncover what readiness means for them and their organization? Understanding that will make your life easier and allow you to prioritize your time much more effectively. 

Glad to help with ideas on how to make this shift. 

Feel free to reach out. Oh, and by the way- if you know someone that could use this advice, feel free to invite them to sign up for the blog.

 If you’d like to connect with me, you can find me in all the usual places like my LinkedIn profile, Facebook, Twitter, and my website: WinSource Group.