Seek Decisions, Not Validation

Sep 09, 2022

Good salesmen seek decisions, not validation.

The Roman philosopher Marcus Cicero once said “More is lost by indecision than wrong decision.”

This could not be more true for salespeople. The only thing that matters in our world is the decision we get from the Prospect.

Not the pat on the back and not the compliments, but the decision.

Decisions are Clarity. They are movement.

On the other hand, Validation, while nice to receive, can be a distraction & keep you stuck if it’s prioritized over getting a Decision.

If Sales is the Life blood of every company, Decisions are the Life blood of every salesperson.

The Only 2 Decisions You Will Accept

Yes/The next step
A fast No

Every salespeople hears the word “No” often. But the good salespeople will hear “No” early.. not after having to chase a prospect for months. They will either hear “No” from the prospect. Or they will tell the prospect “No”

Every point of contact with the prospect is an opportunity. An opportunity for a decision.

You are always moving forward towards your Next Steps or No.

You are not in sales to make friends and shoot the shit, you are there to make bank.

How can you make bank if there is no Clarity with the prospect?

“But SalesGuy, the prospect isn’t always ready to make a decision”

If the prospect decided not to make a decision, then that is a decision. However, we don’t accept those types of decisions.. remember?

Turning a New Page

Gone are the days where you ~~chicken out~~ forget to get a decision because the prospect is stroking your Ego and you think they are your friend (NGMI)

Gone are the days where you get stuck in Follow up Hell for months.

And gone are the days where you waste your personal energy and time with tire kickers.

Prospect: Wow your software is incredible. I can see how this could help us!

🤡: *thinking to himself* Wow I’m awesome. I’m totally going to get this deal!

🐲: Glad to hear you like but I get the feeling you don’t like it enough to implement.. unless I’m missing something?

We live in a world where salespeople conflate validation with positive buying signals.. but I can assure you that a prospect who is serious about investing large sums of money into new software is not going to be chummy with you.

Plow Forward

Prospect: This is great we just need a few days to think it over

🤡: Sounds good. When should we circle back?

🐲: Can I ask why you would need to think about it even if you believed we can help you?

Prospect: Just need a few days to wrap my head around it

🐲: Makes sense. And what happens if you come to the same conclusion, that we can help you, after the few days? What then?

Prospect: I’ll probably buy

🐲: Ah sorry.. I’m confused.. when you say “probably” do you mean “Yes”?

Prospect: Yes

🐲: So I’ll follow up with you on Wednesday. I’ll call you once and send an email. If you don’t answer what I should do then?

Prospect: I’ll answer

🐲: Fine. In the off chance I can’t get a hold of you and I don’t hear back by the end of the week I’ll assume it’s a No from you and I’ll close out your file. Sounds good?

Prospect: Sounds good

Too aggressive?

I rather be too aggressive to get a decision than waste my time and energy getting strung along.

No More Distractions

Prospect: We’ve heard such good things about you guys and are considering getting some new software to help us do XYZ

🤡: Love to hear that! What’s wrong with your current set up?

🐲: Ha thanks! a lot of our business does come from referrals.. Anyway.. Help me out here, have you already decided you’re going to invest in new software or are you still on the fence?

Prospect: [gives some version of “still on the fence”]

🐲: Uh huh.. so can I ask.. and this is a really blunt question but if you’re not sure you need new software then what were you hoping to have happen by the end of this meeting?

Prospect: well really it was just to learn more about what it is you guys do and how you can help us

^i.e let us pump you for information and then dump you!

🐲: I see. How about this.. Our next steps is X. So if by the end of this call we both believe you need what we have then we’ll agree to do [next steps].. is that reasonable?

Yes or No baby!

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