Your database is full of potential customers, some with a higher closing probability than others, but they all have one thing in common: they haven’t purchased your product or services...yet. Each has their own reason why they haven’t bought yet: they don’t have the budget right now, you haven’t been able to prove the value, or, in some cases, you may have even told them they are not ready to purchase yet. Often, all it takes to convert these prospects into customers is the right timing. If you could somehow know exactly when they were ready and looking for what your company provides, you could spend all your time closing deals instead of mining for opportunities. But how do you know when your prospects are ready to buy? Here are three sales triggers to watch for.
1. Someone New is Hired to a Key Position
Sometimes the best time to contact a prospect is when your previous contact has been replaced with someone new. A new executive likely wants to put their mark on the company by making changes. New executives want to gain traction quickly, and are expected to do so. Don’t miss that window of opportunity in which they are looking for, evaluating and purchasing, the very thing you tried tirelessly to sell to their predecessor. Keeping tabs on top prospects can ensure you don’t miss this opportunity. LinkedIn can help you stay on top of staffing changes, though you can’t rely on it alone. Often, people will leave their previous position on LinkedIn for weeks, or months, even after they secure a new job elsewhere. To help capture updates on essential staffing changes within your key target accounts, set up Google alerts—and if you are a Boardroom Insiders customer, our email alerts—so you can be notified of executive changes at key accounts.
2. Breaking Company News
You may have developed a fairly good rapport with your prospect, but if you aren’t clued into major changes going on within their organization right now, it could all be for naught. Potential customers want you to understand their business and bring them possible solutions to the challenges they face. If you aren’t aware of the fact that the company is going through a major merger, leadership change, sales overhaul or layoffs, you risk looking like you haven’t done your homework. Depending on the changes being made within the organization, you might even find that it is the perfect time to position your offer to help them through whatever transition they are experiencing. Staying up to date on company news—and responding with relevant solutions and offers—is one of the hallmarks of a true business partner.
3. Soundbites From Key Decision Makers
We’ve all experienced this scenario: You’ve been following your sales process, making the appropriate follow-up calls and emails but you haven’t gained much traction. Then, one day, your prospect—or their boss—says in an interview or an earnings call, the exact words you’ve been waiting to hear, indicating that the time is right for what you’re selling. You better hope you get this information before your competition does, because being able to align a decision maker’s own words with your offer is a sure-fire way to get their attention. In this age of email alerts and social media, it’s easier than ever before to keep tabs on your most important prospects. So don’t miss out on the best sales triggers of all--and assume your competition is looking for these opportunities to demonstrate relevance and gain an edge.
Keeping tabs on key decision makers within your primary accounts can be a daunting, time-consuming task. At Boardroom Insiders, we are constantly scanning hundreds of news sources related to the 9,000 plus profiles in our database—and we track hundreds of executive changes each month. Our subscribers enjoy timely updates, which helps them respond to company and executive changes faster than the competition. View our free profiles to see for yourself.
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