National Sales Center

A Shorter Sales Cycle  – Advice

By, Nick Moreno

Salespeople are always looking for way to shorten the sales cycle. Who wouldn’t want to sell faster? I have some advice for you on how you can shorten the sales cycle. But first,

How Not To Shorten The Sales Cycle

If you are looking for shortcuts to shorten the sales cycle, forget it. That’s the road to a sales slump. There are no shortcuts in professional selling. You must complete every step in the sales process. The key to a shorter sales cycle is to efficiently complete those steps.

Ways To Shorten The Sales Cycle

Problems Cost Money

You are solving a business problem every time you sell your product or service. You are saving someone money and/or making someone more productive. Top salespeople cost justify their products by determining the cost of the problem they are solving. “Give me $1,000 for this Widget and you’ll save $12,000 a year.”

Well, $12,000 a year is also $1,000 a month. One quick way to shorten the sales cycle is to inform your prospect how much a delayed decision is costing them. “So, when do you want the savings to begin?” This is a great strategy for closing sales.

Sales Plan

Too many salespeople try to get by on “Winging It”. If you want to fail in sales, continue “Winging It”. However, if you more sales success and a shorter sales cycle, take the time to develop a Sales Plan. List every action item that must be accomplished to turn your prospect into a client. The key to a shorter sales cycle is to add due dates to every action item.

Sure, the dates may change but at least you’ll have a Plan. The Plan will keep you on track and will help you shorten the sales cycle.

For example,

• Product Demonstration – July 10th
• Present Proposal – July 20th
• Closing Appointment – July 30th

Sure, the dates may change but at least you’ll have a Plan. The Plan will keep you on track and will help you shorten the sales cycle.

Multiple Objectives

The top sales pros have an objective for every sales appointment and the appointment is not over until the objective is achieved. Why not shorten the sales cycle by having multiple objectives for every appointment? This is one more benefit of the above mentioned Sales Plan. If you are not sure how to develop these plans, get some sales training that covers the topic.

Example on how this works…

July 10th Objectives
Product Demonstration
AND
Schedule Appointment To Present Proposal On 7/30

I hope you’ll consider using this advice on ways to shorten the sales cycle.

I wish you great sales success and a much shorter sales cycle!

Nick Moreno

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