Thoughtful Thursdays - How much do you know about your customer before you meet them?

This series of posts is all about closing a sale faster. Not being mindful of the topics on the list absolutely does not mean you will not make the sale - It might just take longer.

Things That Can Lengthen Your Sales Cycle - Inadequate research

Coming from the positive side, things that can shorten your sales cycle, include today's thought on research.

At any stage of your sales cycle, from first contact to making a presentation, information gathered through research can facilitate the process. Remember that research can be primary or secondary. Let's focus on the early stages of your sales cycle.

As the saying goes, there is only one opportunity for a first impression. With that in mind, why wouldn't anyone want to do their best to make a this first impression their very best?

It sounds pretty simple, but how many times have you encountered a situation where a first impression has not been the most positive experience and only subsequently and after a length of time you might have had the opportunity to change your mind about that person.

This can surely translate to the addition of weeks or months to your sales cycle. Here are few tips that can help you make a good first impression better and shorten your sales cycle.

• Know your prospect's business and the products and services they offer
• Have an idea of who is their target market is
• Know if you can bring them any business as a result of buying from you
• Learn about the industry they participate in
• If they are a public company, learn how the stocks are performing
• Have they been in the news lately?
• Are they an industry leader?

Make a habit of taking the time to conduct preliminary research and you can shorten your sales cycle.

This speaks to facilitating your prospect's buying process by establishing confidence in you early in the process.

Good selling,
Richard