#3 Sales motion blockers to identify for increasing win rate
In sales, speed is a decisive factor often determining whether a deal is won or lost. Our analysis shows a strong correlation between the length of the sales cycle and win rates: the shorter the process, the higher the likelihood of closing the deal. Conversely, drawn-out sales cycles often lead to decreased customer engagement, lost momentum, and ultimately, reduced revenue.
Sales teams frequently encounter blockers that disrupt and slow down the sales motion. These challenges, if not identified and addressed swiftly, can cause delays that slow down the process and also increase the risk of losing potential deals. Without a proactive approach to managing these obstacles, the sales process can easily derail, leading to missed opportunities and a significant impact on overall revenue.
To stay ahead, it’s essential to detect these blockers early and take decisive action to resolve them. In this article, we’ll explore three critical areas where sales motion blockers commonly arise. So, you can keep your sales process on track, increase win rate, close deals faster, and maximise your revenue potential.
Managing temporal sales motion blockers and follow-ups
Detecting temporal blockers
Throughout sales calls and meetings, critical deadlines and timelines are established. However, these agreed-upon dates can easily become temporal blockers when they’re overlooked or allowed to pass without action. Detecting these temporal blockers as soon as they occur is essential for maintaining momentum in the sales process.
Recognizing a missed deadline or a stalled action is your signal to step in and address the issue. The sooner you detect these blockers, the quicker you can act to remove them, ensuring that the deal continues to move forward smoothly.
Knowing when to follow up
Once you’ve detected a temporal blocker, timing your follow-up becomes critical. The follow-up should be neither too immediate, which might seem overly aggressive, nor too delayed, which could lead to further disengagement. The best time to follow up can be determined using the context of the deal.
How to reinforce next steps
After addressing the temporal blocker, it’s crucial to reinforce the commitments made and clarify the next steps. This ensures that everyone involved remains aligned on the timeline and understands what needs to happen next. The best way to do it can also be determined by the whole context of the deal and the previous interactions.
Mastering client decision-making and approvals
One of the most challenging aspects of the sales process is effectively managing the client’s decision-making structure. Hierarchical approvals often involve multiple layers of stakeholders, each with their own set of priorities and concerns. If not carefully managed, these approvals can lead to significant delays, slowing down the sales motion and increasing the risk of losing the deal.
Understanding the decision-making hierarchy
A thorough understanding of the client’s decision-making hierarchy is crucial from the very beginning. This means identifying all the key players involved, from the initial influencers to the final decision-makers, and mapping out their roles and influence within the organisation. Knowing who has the authority at each stage of the process allows you to anticipate where potential delays might occur and prepare accordingly.
By understanding the hierarchy, sales teams can tailor their approach to meet the specific needs and concerns of each stakeholder. The information is often given during calls, mentioning who needs to approve the buying decision. Leverage these data to extract the information.
Engaging decision-makers strategically
Once the decision-making hierarchy is clear, it’s important to engage with each level strategically. This involves building relationships with all key stakeholders, not just the primary contact. Proactively addressing their concerns and providing targeted information that resonates with their priorities can help to smooth the approval process.
Engaging decision-makers early and often ensures that potential objections are handled before they become major issues. By understanding what each stakeholder values most, you can position your proposal in a way that meets their needs, paving the way for faster, more decisive approvals.
Facilitating a smooth approval process
To avoid delays, it’s essential to make the approval process as straightforward as possible for the client. This might involve preparing concise, customised summaries for each stage of approval, ensuring all necessary documentation is readily available, and securing pre-approvals for common terms and conditions.
By reducing complexity and making it easier for decision-makers to give their approval, you can significantly speed up the process.
Overcoming clarification blockers
Clarification needs can become significant blockers in the sales process, especially when they arise unexpectedly or are not addressed promptly. When clients are unclear about certain aspects of your offering, it can slow down momentum and introduce hesitation into the decision-making process. Effectively managing and overcoming these clarification blockers is essential for keeping the deal on track.
Detecting gaps in understanding
A common blocker slowing down the sales motion is the presence of unaddressed gaps in the client’s understanding. These gaps often manifest as repeated questions, hesitation, or requests for more information. If not detected and resolved early, they can lead to delays and decreased confidence in your solution.
Detecting these gaps requires careful listening and attention during discussions. By recognizing when a client is unclear or uncertain, you can intervene quickly to provide the necessary information, preventing the conversation from stalling. Otherwise you can use modern technologies to detect these and prevent them from becoming blockers.
Overcoming delayed responses
Another critical blocker is the delay in responding to requests for clarification. When clients seek additional information, any delay in providing it can cause frustration and slow the decision-making process. This blocker can lead to lost momentum and, ultimately, a loss of interest from the client.
To overcome this, it’s crucial to respond to clarification requests as quickly as possible. Providing prompt and clear explanations not only resolves the client’s concerns but also helps maintain the momentum of the sales process.
Effectively identifying and addressing sales motion blockers is crucial for maintaining momentum and achieving higher win rates. By staying proactive and strategic, you can ensure that your sales process remains smooth and efficient, leading to more successful outcomes.
