Disqualify sales prospects to ease sales cycles
As a salesperson who needs to make a commission and hit quota, we’re generally in a mode where we’re telling sales prospects why our products are right for them. But if the sales opportunity isn’t moving in the direction or speed you’d like, it can be powerful to do the opposite and disqualify the prospect by questioning whether our product is right for them.
New car example
Let’s take an example of a new car buyer to show how this might work. The prospect has been looking at cars, done the research, completed the test drive, and narrowed down the choice to just one car. She has expressed interest but is hesitant to move to the next step in the process, which is to buy.
At this point, the momentum and speed of the sales cycle have slowed, so the salesperson has three options:
1. Do Nothing: The salesperson could do nothing and let the prospect control the speed and direction. This can lead to getting stuck on “idle ground”, which could result in further loss of time on both sides and increase the likelihood of “no decision”.
2. Push More: The salesperson might push harder and try to sell more aggressively to the prospect. The risk here is that if there is an internal conflict in the sales prospect, pushing harder could drive them away.
3. Disqualify: When the seller notices the hesitancy and conflict, they can disqualify by mentioning that the purchase may not be correct. Once this is done, if the purchase is a good fit, the sales prospect will begin to answer by selling why it is a good fit and overcome their doubts.
As you can see from those options, disqualifying a prospect when they show resistance or hesitation can be a very powerful sales tactic. Here are some of the key benefits of doing this at the right time on sales leads:
improve momentum
When you do this with a qualified prospect with genuine interest and buying authority, when you drive them away by disqualifying them, they will usually come back selling you why it makes sense. For the prospect selling you, this can take a deal that doesn’t go forward or go backwards and creates new momentum.
discover new information
When a sales prospect starts selling to you after a disqualification, you’ll be able to discover new information, as they are likely to tell you in their own words why it makes sense, and that could reveal new details about their needs and how they will benefit you.
establish credibility
By disqualifying a sales prospect, you will go a long way in the area of establishing credibility. This is powerful as the typical closer will choose to be more aggressive in a scenario where he feels hesitant. By disqualifying, you not only stand out from the competition, but you also appear to be putting the prospect’s interests before your own interests in closing a deal.
