There Is More to Sales Than the Sales Cycle

“There is no such thing as managing just a sales cycle!”

If you disagree with me on this, then you are the exact person I want to reach with this article.

There are many sales qualification processes and tools in the marketplace, each with their own training courses and some with a methodology. There’s nothing wrong with any of these, but take a step back and ask yourself the basic question: Why do I even need to qualify leads?

The primary purpose you qualify leads early in the sales cycle is so that you don’t waste time and effort on an opportunity that might never happen.

So why do we still have lost opportunities? I believe it is because sales teams are too often focused on rushing through the sales cycle. It is crucial that you need to understand where the potential customer is in the buying cycle first. Everything else is secondary.

The customer buying cycle looks like this:

Image provided courtesy of Huthwaite Research Group Ltd. trading as Huthwaite International. All rights reserved.

In order to understand the customer buying cycle better, here are 3 important considerations to remember:

1.       Make a customer, not a sale

The key is to put the sales cycle aside and focus on the customer first. Do not focus on walking your prospects through the same series of steps without thinking about who they are, what are their needs, what’s their role (not just their job title or function) and what stage are these key individuals in the organizational buying cycle.

We all know that it is necessary to prospect and qualify a customer. A typical sales cycle begins with these two. But as a salesperson, you must pay attention in case a lead may already be further on the customer buying cycle than you think they are.

For example, even before you have spoken to them, a potential customer may already be in the “evaluation of options” stage of the customer buying cycle. This most likely means they have done their research and are aware of their needs. They are exploring how these needs can be met with different solutions possibly from both existing and new vendors.

So, map and align your sales cycle to the customer buying cycle. But is that enough? This brings me to my next point.

2.      Don’t sell but solve

Go beyond the sales cycle and pitch the right solution to target customers at specific points of the customer buying cycle.

If a customer is already in “evaluation of options”, then they may have specific criteria with a solution or product in mind. If you simply present your offer, your product may not fully resolve the customer’s needs.

I know that salespeople often get bogged down by the targets that have been set for them, or that they have set for themselves, and as a result may force the sale. I fully empathize with the pressure that salespeople sometimes feel, but we must take a step back and understand what’s best for the customer.

If you take the time to uncover and develop their needs and establish the value of change, you may be better able to make a more compelling reason for investment and a decision. A customer who perceives your value is more willing to refer others to you.

At this stage, you are no longer just a salesperson, but a “trusted advisor”. This brings me to my last point.

3.      Ask “What” but understand “Why”

Think about this: the ideal shape of a sales funnel isn’t a “funnel”, it’s a pipe. Every lead you have should already be one that you can close. Think of the most popular mobile phones in the market – what do you think the sales cycles are like for those products?

In most real-life funnels, however, you often end up selling a solution that may overwhelm and confuse the customer because it's not tailored to meet their needs.

A common pitfall for many salespeople is they try to convince a customer by talking to persuade. In Dutch, we have a saying, “De koffer leegpraten”. Freely interpreted, it refers to talking about everything your product can do to the extent that you almost try to will the customer to buy. Salespeople who do this often assume that if they mention enough product specifications, at least one or two will convince the customer to make the sale. This “spray and pray” mentality is false.

Just because your solution can do 101 projects does not mean your customer needs that extensive capability. Do not just understand “what” a customer does, but “why” they do it. That way, you can tailor your solution to their needs, or help them see that there are other ways your solution can help them in the future.

Sometimes by taking the time to understand the customer, they may decide another solution is better. But I firmly believe showing your customer that you prioritize them over your own interests will build up your status as their “trusted advisor”. This relationship will lead to a more valuable customer response over a longer period.

These 3 points above are critical to me and I take every opportunity to remind my own sales teams of them. This way, my customers know that solving their problems will always be the priority.

We need to manage more than just sales cycles

I began this article by saying there’s no such thing as managing just a sales cycle and I hope that after reading this far, you have realized what I really mean by that statement. We will always have the sales cycle, but we must learn to shift our focus to where the customer is in their customer buying cycle, and align the sales cycle appropriately.

Sales techniques are not an art, and there are proven routes to success simply by refocusing on what is important. The only way to get better is to practice. I see a lot of salespeople get trained in a new technique, but they quickly fall back into old habits. It is important to diligently apply the new techniques you have learnt.

What is your opinion on sales cycles and customer buying cycles? I would love to hear your thoughts.