Need for Approval is Costing you Money

Does this sound familiar?

A salesperson follows up on a lead. Meets with the prospect, discovers needs and timeline. Spends a little time on research, consults vendors and comes back with a unique proposal that solves all of the needs of the prospect.

After the proposal, the salesperson goes into waiting mode. After not hearing anything from the prospect for a few weeks, the salesperson gets a call from one of his vendors. "Do you remember that proposal we discussed for your prospect at ABC" the vendor says. “Well, we just got a call from your competition and they got the business using your plan. They are ordering supplies from us. In fact, we just signed them up as a new customer!"

This is a real-life story. It happens all the time. It just happened last month in South Carolina.

If this sounds familiar at all, there is one thing to look for..."Need for Approval."

When a salesperson has a "need for approval," they struggle with...

-not able to ask the prospect tough questions

-afraid to establish expectations with the prospect

-stuck in "waiting mode" after a proposal

-susceptible to being shopped around on by the prospect

The "Need for Approval" costs you money. It cost a business in South Carolina over $250,000 in new revenue just last month.

How to solve "need for approval"

-Get your salespeople assessed to see how severe the problem is

-Weekly Role Play sessions

-Use Consultative Sales process

-Require salespeople to use the process on every call

-Reevaluate and look at how much the "need for approval" has improved

-Compare your bottom line before and after. The difference will be obvious

-Never hire someone with a high "Need for Approval" again

Click here for a free assessment from our partner Objective Management Group. Have your least productive salesperson take it and see what their “need for approval” is.