Process

Steps to win new business

A sales process is how you bring folks in your target market from not knowing about your solution, to purchasing your product. It's a specific set of actions your sales team follows to close a new customer.

Each customer and product have a different way that they go through this process, and will often heavily influence your

Framework⁠

but it can generally be summed up like this👇

Our favorite examples

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The following comes from our friends at Lucid

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https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/what-is-the-7-step-sales-process⁠

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1. Prospecting

The first of the seven steps in the sales process is prospecting. In this stage, you find potential customers and determine whether they have a need for your product or service—and whether they can afford what you offer. Evaluating whether the customers need your product or service and can afford it is known as qualifying.

2. Preparation

The second stage has you in preparation for initial contact with a potential customer, researching the market and collecting all relevant information regarding your product or service. At this point, you develop your sales presentation and tailor it to your potential client’s particular needs.

3. Approach

In the approach stage, you make first contact with your client. Sometimes this is a face-to-face meeting, sometimes it’s over the phone. There are three common approach methods.

Premium approach: Presenting your potential client with a gift at the beginning of your interaction

Question approach: Asking a question to get the prospect interested

Product approach: Giving the prospect a sample or a free trial to review and evaluate your service

4. Presentation

In the presentation phase, you actively demonstrate how your product or service meets the needs of your potential customer. The word presentation implies using PowerPoint and giving a salesy spiel, but it doesn’t always have to be that way—you should actively listen to your customer’s needs and then act and react accordingly.

5. Handling objections

Perhaps the most underrated of the seven steps of a sales process is handling objections. This is where you listen to your prospect’s concerns and address them. It’s also where many unsuccessful salespeople drop out of the process—44% of salespeople abandoning pursuit after one rejection, 22% after two rejections, 14% after three, and 12% after four, even though 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups to convert. Successfully handling objections and alleviating concerns separates good salespeople from bad and great from good.

Use this flowchart to map out objections and link to relevant collateral (Click on image to modify online)

6. Closing

In the closing stage, you get the decision from the client to move forward. Depending on your business, you might try one of these three closing strategies.

Alternative choice close: Assuming the sale and offering the prospect a choice, where both options close the sale—for example, “Will you be paying the whole fee up front or in installments?” or “Will that be cash or charge?”

Extra inducement close: Offering something extra to get the prospect to close, such as a free month of service or a discount

Standing room only close: Creating urgency by expressing that time is of the essence—for example, “The price will be going up after this month” or “We only have six spots left”

7. Follow-up

Once you have closed the sale, your job is not done. The follow-up stage keeps you in contact with customers you have closed, not only for potential repeat business but for referrals as well. And since retaining current customers is six to seven times less costly than acquiring new ones, maintaining relationships is key.

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