Sales Momentum: How to Create a Sense of Urgency in Deals

Momentum - it's essential for any prosperous sales deal.

Without it, things can quickly become stagnant, and a sales pipeline can quickly dry up.

So, how do you create a sense of urgency with your clients in your deals? How do you keep the right people involved, engaged, and motivated to keep the deal moving forward?

Keeping sales momentum isn't easy in today's busy business world, even if the prospect is well-vetted and qualified, but it's integral to drive a deal toward a successful close. Day-to-day challenges, competing priorities, and limited budgets can all impact a deal's momentum.

It's never an easy feat, but by following these tips, you can keep your deals in motion, your pipeline on track, and ultimately close more deals.

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Work backward from the critical event: go-live date.

Just as every project has a deadline, so should the sales process. Every deal can be viewed as a mini project - especially the intricate, complex deals with upwards of a dozen stakeholders.

Start by understanding the go-live date from the beginning. It serves as the ultimate driving force behind everything you do, and it should be your main priority when bringing a sale to closure.

The framework should begin with the end in mind. Getting the customer to realize the importance of the product or service and setting a target date to implement and go live should be the first step.

From there, setting milestones and making clear what needs to be done to reach the designated date will keep everyone on the same page and momentum flowing.

What happens if you miss a critical event?

Missing one of these events can spell disaster for your deal and future deals with that customer. A lot of time and effort is invested into creating an effective sales process, so losing out on a single moment creates a damaging ripple effect.

As a seller, you should deliver the implications and impact of a delayed timeline.

A glimpse into the effects of any delayed timeline – missed deadlines, budget/cost overages, and additional time with pain points you've narrowed down – will ensure the customer understands the gravity of their decision.

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So, how do you keep sales momentum to meet your deadline?

There will always be complexities, out-of-the-ordinary challenges, and roadblocks to every deal. By creating a strong business case and multi-threading your champions, you'll set yourself up for success. Using the following methods will put you on the right track.

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Build a strong business case

Especially important in today's economy, where budgets are tightening, and competition is at all-time highs, a strong business case can go a long way.

You should clearly articulate a clear, personalized business case that speaks to the exact needs of your customer.

By identifying the customers' pain points early in the discovery process, you can create an ROI story and illustrate a clear need for the project that can work in your favor.

Using methods such as the ValueSelling Framework to do this, your customer will recognize the pain of delays or missing deadlines.

Building a strong business case will make your customers realize the potential of the product or service and set a target date to implement, go live, and achieve their desired goal, and yours - closing the deal.

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Multi-thread your champions

Multi-threading or creating relationships with all stakeholders involved in the deal simultaneously will bring your sales process to the next level.

Having an average of 6-plus stakeholders in a deal, any form of misalignment can put a deal on pause.

It can range from front-line salespeople up to C-level executives or even legal and finance teams. You may have onboarded several key stakeholders at different points during your sales cycle, so it's important to keep them aligned and engaged throughout the process.

Keep them involved in product updates, progress meetings, and create a sense of urgency between departments.

By getting these stakeholders on the same page and up to date, they can work together to create a unified vision and ensure that everyone is held responsible for their part in purchasing the solution or service.

Using centralized digital workspaces can help consolidate your collateral, deadlines, and customer communication in one spot. Taking the time to invite all stakeholders to participate in the process will provide visibility into the progress of your deal and reveal objections, delays, or gaps that can be addressed much sooner in the deal process.

To recap

Keeping sales momentum and driving urgency is critical to meeting sales goals and objectives.

While it may seem challenging, creating milestones and deadlines, clearly outlining the effects of delays, having a strong business case, and multi-threading your champions to create a sense of urgency will help you achieve critical events on time.

The business-to-business sale is a relationship-based and customer-centric game. By taking these proactive steps to build strong relationships and create a sense of urgency across all stakeholders, you'll be able to close deals faster and more effectively.

At the end of the day, sales momentum is about creating a shared value between customers and suppliers to better achieve their desired outcomes and create success for both parties. With that focus, sales momentum becomes much easier to achieve and maintain.

Ready to set a new standard for your sales process, collaborate with all stakeholders, and manage timelines, content, and communication to keep your deals moving at full speed? Get started with a consultation at Recapped today: https://www.recapped.io/consultation

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