Managing Long Sales Cycles: Keeping Momentum Over Time

A few years ago, I embarked on what seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime. We had identified a potential client, a large fortune 500 company, whose partnership could significantly elevate our business. The sales cycle, however, was projected to be over a year long. The initial excitement of the opportunity quickly gave way to the reality of maintaining engagement and momentum over such an extended period.

At the six-month mark, we hit a significant roadblock. Their decision-making process slowed down, and our communications became less frequent. It felt like we were losing traction, and the deal was slipping away. I remember sitting in my office late one evening, staring at the phone, feeling a mix of frustration and determination. I knew I had to act fast to keep the momentum going.

I knew I needed to do something different. Something had to change.

I began to evaluate and re-evaluate my strategy. Had I been focusing on the right people within the organization? Were we providing enough value throughout the sales process? I realized that we needed to shift our approach.?

Instead of simply waiting for the client to make a decision, and letting the relationship taper off, I needed to be proactive. I decided to schedule a meeting with the key decision-makers to discuss their concerns and address any lingering questions. I prepared meticulously for this meeting, ensuring that I had a deep understanding of their business challenges and how our solution could help.

The meeting was a turning point. By listening attentively to their needs and demonstrating our expertise, we were able to re-engage them in the process. We also offered to conduct a proof of concept to showcase the tangible benefits of our solution, which we implemented at the 6.5 month mark. The proof of concept was a success and helped to alleviate their concerns and build their confidence in our ability to deliver.

In the weeks that followed, I maintained a consistent level of engagement with them, reminding them of the data we shared in the meeting, the results of the trial and further information on how our customers were saving time, money and energy. I followed up regularly, provided additional information when needed, and offered support whenever they had questions. I also made a conscious effort to build stronger relationships with the key stakeholders, further building a sense of trust and partnership.

My efforts paid off! The client’s decision-making process began to accelerate, and we were able to close the deal within eight months, significantly shortening the sales cycle. It was a testament to the power of perseverance, strategic thinking, and building strong relationships.

I realized that the most challenging part of the sales process is often not the initial discovery, presentation, proposal, or negotiations, but rather the ability to maintain momentum over time, and overcome potential areas of stagnancy in a long sales cycle. By adapting my approach, and providing exceptional value, we were able to turn a seemingly dead deal into one of our happiest customers.?

Below are 5 few ways that you can be intentional about avoiding stagnancy in your deals and ensure that you keep your deals moving forward, creating more value for your customers while shortening your sales cycle.?

5 Ways to Manage Long Sales Cycles

1. Regular Check-Ins and Updates: Schedule regular check-ins with your client to keep the lines of communication open. These don’t always have to be formal meetings; sometimes a quick email or phone call can make a big difference. This keeps the relationship warm and shows your ongoing commitment. And always be prepared, leading with your expertise in their industry.?
2. Value-Added Touchpoints: Provide value at every interaction. Share industry insights, relevant articles, or case studies that can help your client see the benefits of your solution. This positions you as a trusted advisor rather than just a salesperson. Use-cases, data, insights, etc. to drive home the savings and and potential risks they may suffer from not moving forward quickly
3. Milestone Mapping: Break down the sales process into smaller, manageable milestones. Celebrate each milestone achieved, both internally and with the client. This helps in maintaining a sense of progress and keeps the team motivated. And talk about it with leadership. They may have valuable insights to help move ?the deal forward.?
4. Flexibility and Adaptability: What you dont know, can kill you, so ask a lot of questions! Be prepared to adapt your approach based on the client’s evolving needs and feedback. Flexibility can often turn potential roadblocks into opportunities for deeper engagement.
5. Internal Alignment: Ensure that your internal team is aligned and informed about the long-term strategy. And bring them in, create alliances between your teams, be it executive level, departmental alignment or at the management level. Regular internal and external updates and strategy sessions can help keep everyone on the same page and maintain collective momentum.

By implementing these strategies, I was ?able to re-engage the client and close the deal earlier than expected. The regular check-ins kept the communication flowing, value-added touchpoints reinforced our position as a valuable partner, and milestone mapping provided a sense of progress. Flexibility allowed us to adapt to the client’s changing needs, and internal alignment ensured that our team was always ready to support the next steps.

I encourage each of you to reflect on your current sales cycles and consider how you can apply these strategies to keep the momentum going. Long sales cycles are challenging, but with the right approach, they can also be incredibly rewarding. Let’s continue to support each other and share our successes and challenges as we navigate these complex sales journeys together. #Letsgo

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