Our world is primarily extroverted.
Researchers suggest that these outgoing individuals make up roughly 50 – 74% of the population.
Almost all extroverts are open, energized, and talkative, and while this can be a benefit when it comes to starting conversations and making friends, this characteristic can also become a huge liability during the early stages of a B2B sales process.
Especially during discovery calls, often, the insatiable need to talk that is present in many salespeople can quickly turn off new leads and prospects.
Discovery meetings are often one of the first extended interactions between customer and company. According to an article about how to be a good sales rep, you should lean into conversations and truly try to understand how you might be able to help ease customer pains.
Another article states that most importantly, the discovery phase should be used to listen to your customers and truly understand their unique situation. At least 60% of this phase should be focused on listening to the customer rather than on sharing information on your solution.
So why do so many salespeople embody the characteristics of extroverts and talk throughout the entire sales process instead of listening?
Why do they try to sell the solution during the primary point of contact instead of understanding the customers’ pain points and needs first?
In this article, we are going to be exploring this common challenge that salespeople face and uncover an innovative approach to scaling your sales processes: the Next Step Selling method.
What is the Next Step Selling Method
The Next Step Selling Method is a strategy that guides prospects through the sales process through a series of gradual and actionable steps.
The method involves guiding potential customers through a clear and logical sequence of steps, helping them visualize the process of moving from their current situation to a desired outcome.
This helps keep the sales process moving toward closing the sale. Additionally, by providing actionable CTAs at the end of each phase, your job will be easier and more effective.
Examples of Next Step CTAs
Each of these CTAs helps move prospects from one phase of the sales process to the next.
Discovery Phase
Example CTA: Let’s schedule a brief call to discuss your specific challenges and goals in more detail.
Business Fit Phase
Example CTA: Now that we understand your requirements, let’s arrange a personalized demo to showcase how our solution addresses your needs.
Demo Phase
Example CTA: Following the demo, I’ll prepare a tailored proposal with pricing options. Can we connect to review it together?
Proposal Phase
Example CTA: With your approval of the proposal, we’re ready to move forward. Let’s coordinate the paperwork and finalize the details.
Why is the Next Step Selling Method So Effective?
Salespeople often worry that they won’t be able to tell their whole story before they lose the interest of their prospects.
They worry that they won’t be able to convince leads that their product is valuable enough before those leads check out.
So, they combat this by trying to tell their whole story and sell their entire product and more, within the first point of contact, usually a discovery call.
This is why the Next Step Selling Method is so important and effective.
Instead of focusing on trying to complete the entire sales process during one call, break it down into manageable steps.
There is a popular phrase that goes “The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.” This phrase stems from the idea that because the process of eating a whole elephant is so daunting, just take one bite at a time.
If you try to sell your company’s solution during the discovery call, your prospect will feel as if you are trying to get them to eat a whole elephant.
But if you focus instead on just getting them to the next step in each particular phase, then, with one bite at a time, that same prospect will eat the elephant with ease.
Here is a breakdown of the key features of the Next Step Selling Method that make it so effective:
Clarity and Progression
The clarity that comes from this method reduces confusion and uncertainty, making the decision-making process more straightforward.
Engagement and Commitment
As stated before with the elephant analogy, breaking down the buying process into smaller, manageable steps encourages gradual engagement and commitment from the customer.
Each step represents a manageable decision, making it easier for customers to say “yes” to the immediate action without feeling overwhelmed by the larger commitment.
Reduced Resistance
By guiding the customer toward a series of actions that align with their needs and interests, sales reps can generate a more relaxed and positive interaction.
Customer-Centric Approach
At Saleslion, we are all about personalizing the sales process, and The Next Step Selling Method does just that.
Because it is centered around the customer’s journey and needs, this method helps salespeople understand the customer’s specific challenges, desires, and timeline, allowing them to tailor their approach and recommendations accordingly.
Building Trust and Rapport
As salespeople help customers progress step by step, trust and rapport can be established, allowing customers to feel that their concerns and objectives are being addressed.
Overcoming Procrastination
An unfortunate challenge many salespeople face is the tendency for customers to postpone decisions.
By presenting a clear and attainable next step, this method reduces the likelihood of procrastination and keeps the momentum going.
Long-Term Relationship Building
The customer-centric and consultative approach of this method can contribute to long-term relationship building.
Customers are more likely to view the salesperson as a trusted advisor rather than someone simply pushing a product or service.
Clear Call to Action
Finally, as shown in the examples above the method provides a clear call to action at each stage of the process.
This reduces ambiguity and empowers customers to take meaningful actions that contribute to their ultimate goals.
Overall, the Next Step Selling Method is incredibly effective as it combines psychological sales principles with a customer-focused approach, enabling salespeople to guide potential customers through a journey that feels manageable, logical, and aligned with their needs and objectives.
Best Customer Engagement Tools to Assist with Next Step Selling
As the remote selling landscape continues to change and evolve, technology has become a vital tool to successfully stay ahead of the competition.
And while the effectiveness of customer engagement tools depends on how well they are integrated into your sales process and how closely they align with your specific customers’ preferences, below is a list of the best customer engagement tools to assist with next-step selling.
CRM Software
Customer Relationship Management software is one of the most sophisticated customer engagement tools to help organize and manage customer information, interactions, and follow-ups, ensuring you have a complete understanding of your customers’ needs.
This will help with the next step of selling by ensuring you know exactly where your customers are in the sales process so that you can provide them with the most appropriate CTA.
Video Conferencing
With these customer engagement tools, your team can conduct interactive and personalized demo sessions where you can showcase your solution’s features and benefits directly to the customer.
Especially in remote settings, video can help with building relationships with customers, making it easier for them to take the next step in the sales process.
Digital Sales Rooms
These sales enablement platforms can allow you to create engaging presentations, document prospect’s needs, customize communications, and collaborate on proposals, making it easier for both parties to review and provide feedback.
Because of how their customer engagement tools, especially the Salelsion digital sales room, are structured, it is very easy for sales reps to implement the Next Step Selling Method alongside this technology.
Analytics Platforms
Customer engagement tools like sales analytics platforms can allow your sales team to gain insights into customer engagement patterns and sales performance to refine your strategy and improve future interactions.
With this data, your sales reps can better understand customer behavior and anticipate when it is the best time to call the prospects to action and move them further down the funnel.
The key to each of these customer engagement tools is to use them to enhance your ability to guide customers through the Next Step Selling Method, making their journey more seamless and personalized.
Key Takeaways
In summary, the Next Step Selling Method stands as a testament to the power of strategic and customer-centric sales approaches.
Its effectiveness lies in its ability to provide a clear and manageable pathway for potential customers, fostering a sense of progression and confidence throughout their decision-making journey.
By breaking down the sales process into actionable phases, this method minimizes resistance, builds trust, and aligns seamlessly with the diverse needs of clients.
Additionally, leveraging this approach alongside cutting-edge customer engagement tools amplifies its impact.
These tools, ranging from CRM systems and video conferencing platforms to digital sales rooms and analytics platforms, serve as a backbone for implementing the Next Step Selling Method with precision and finesse.