How do you create a sense of urgency for your sales prospects?

This is the backbone of sales discovery. Do your research before the meeting, engage, ask probing questions, and begin to establish a foundation of becoming a trusted advisor.

I've always liked the Zig Zigler quote that keeps me focused on my clients needs verse my own paycheck. "If you help enough people get they want, you'll get what you want." When their needs and your resources line up, and they know you can deliver, you'll get the deal.

I agree that understanding pain points is essential but to truly create a sense of urgency, salespeople must dive into the implication of those pain points. In other words, what are the downstream ramifications of the problem? Prospects will stay engaged if your conversation is focused on their biggest problems or those issues that are causing the most pain for them.

Research conducted before the meeting along with unlocking deep meaningful conversations, shows commitment to the client and helps to build a level of trust which is fundamental in a successful evaluation process.

Getting to their "why" upfront allows you to curate your pitch with a solution that fits their needs. Instead of "how did you hear about our company" consider "why were you looking for a different option". Their Why will tell you pain points and motivations.

I would add a simple step before talking about how you can help your prospect solve their problem. Ask them if the problem is one that they're committed to solve? If they are truly committed to allocate the time and resources to solve the problem, then they will be very receptive to your ideas on ways to help. This issue comes up in my new LinkedIn Learning course: B2B Sales Strategy - How to Avoid Prospect Stalls and Stops.

Sales 101. Don't sell, show solutions, explain the risks, the costs and be open for more questions. Continue to listen for clues as to what needs to be explained further.

'Showing' them is key. Long gone are the days of 'features & benefits' as a way to 'sell'. Also using numbers, statistics, quotes, and real-live customer stories that will resonate with the goals of potential clients to help them see the vision. Paint the picture clearly. My husband has told me many times that confused people don't buy.

I have seen FOMO used very successfully by a sales copywriting course company that would offer limited-time discounts coupled with the promise of success - and it was VERY effective in creating excitement & opportunity. I now own several of their courses. Using FOMO worked for me ONLY because I was very interested in what they had to offer. The negative side of FOMO is when a negative experience occurs through anxiety or pressuring people into buying things they don't want.

Hmmm??? Selling by the FOMO is very risky and can often alienate a buyer. I would be very careful with this approach as it can feel manipulative.

How do you handle a situation in which you have helped a prospective client acknowledge one or more pain points, the prospect agrees your business solution seems feasible/affordable but he or she is still reluctant to move forward? If you know you are dealing with an actual decision maker, taking your offer off the table (or even a subtle suggestion that you will) may be the best approach. It's not as risky as you think because if the other party is serious, he/she/they will want to do a deal and if not, you have saved your time for more fruitful efforts! If they don't chase what you're taking off the table now, they might come back when the timing is better.

Reviews, endorsements and success stories can be very helpful but it all must tie back specifically to your buyer and their needs. "I don't care about "x" company, how will it impact us in a positive way?"

Social proof is critically important in today's virtual environment to build trust. We focus heavily on obtaining AUTHENTIC Upwork Reviews and LinkedIn Recommendations from EVERY client. Before the days of the internet, I used to carry around my 'black book' full of reviews and recommendations to show my clients (medical device sales). Now, we have the benefit of virtual platforms that allow us to showcase our work and help prospects understand what we do and how we can help them. A personal observation that has helped me immensely is to read and understand what our clients write about us to see us through their eyes, so we can make improvements. The key is creating the HABIT of CONSISTENTLY asking for reviews - most people miss this.

Testimonials, voice of customers, user interviews are good ways to solicit feedback from existing customers. Case studies with happy clients are also a good way to demonstrate how your product/solution has helped them (example: achieved 15% in customer acquisition after using your solution). Word of mouth/referrals are important regardless whether you are selling a consumer product or a B2B solution. Showing expertise in "similar category/vertical/industry" could also be considered to exhibit thought leadership that is somewhat relevant to the prospect's business.

Agreed. Creating a false sense of urgency with phony deadlines can be perceived as slimy. Try a simple explanation of the process. If the prospect has told you during discovery they want something by a certain deadline, use that. Ex: "You suggested a need to have this work completed by July 1st. Our normal process will require 30 days to complete the work, so we should make a plan to start no later than the end of May to allow some cushion time." The urgency is implied in a softer way, and all you're doing is guiding them through the process.

I'm sorry I'm not a fan of this either and I would use these techniques with caution. In a buyer first approach, saying "Last chance" is not what I would tell any buyer.

Make it easy to take action by applying urgency principle. here is my take: Use a call to action. A call to action is a clear and concise statement that tells your prospects what you want them to do. For example, you could say "Sign up for our free trial today!" or "Call us now to learn more." Use strong visuals. Visuals can help to grab your prospects' attention and make your call to action more effective. For example, you could use an image of your product or service, or a testimonial from a satisfied customer. Personalize your call to action. Address your prospects by name and tailor your message to their specific needs. This will make them more likely to take action.

Creating a sense of urgency by setting a timeline for follow up or leveraging real, honest interest from other parties is a great approach as it offers open, clear communication. However, ‘manufacturing’ a sense of urgency by adding ‘last chance’ type phrases feels slimy and will not have a positive result long term. Ever heard of the boy that cried wolf?

In the world of video content, we create a sense of urgency and value for our prospects by crafting videos that are as irresistible as freshly-baked cookies in a meeting room. We combine valuable information with captivating visuals and a pinch of humor, leaving prospects craving more and eager to take action before the cookies, or rather, opportunities, run out.

I thought the perfect example of everything that is described here was found in a marketing video I watched yesterday. Watch and see how your placeholder in line becomes an incentive to act within a week. Livegoodtour.com/arlen

Creating urgency isn't a sales pitch. The only way to create urgency is by asking the right implication questions because - what people hear they resist, but what they say, they believe & take ownership of. 1. If nothing changes, how will this impact your (goals, performance, team.) 2. What's the cost if you keep doing things the way you are now? 3. How is this impacting your (culture, relationships, retention)? 4. How is this affecting YOU? (Make it personal.) 5. If you were able to experience the same benefits other clients do, what would that mean to you and the company? (Implication questions can be focused on what they will gain.) 6. If you were able to achieve your goals & eliminate these challenges, what would be possible for you?