What percentage of your sales calls end in a price negotiation? Or, the dreaded, “I will think about it and get back to you?” If you are getting to the finish line and keep hearing these words, you are not doing a good job of building value along the way.

How can this be overcome? Here are some tips. 

Build Value

Building value starts with you. Besides making sales, your job is to grow your own credibility and show what kind of resources you can provide. Sharing industry-​specific data and articles that will help your customer is a great way to accomplish that. Set yourself apart by going above and beyond what most sales reps bring to the table. 

Discovery

Asking discovery questions that qualify your customer is the second step to success. Make sure you ask questions directly related to competitive products your potential customer might be using. By going through those items and asking your prospect whether they feel it is still a valuable tool, you can figure out where you can shift their budget. Sometimes your product or service can take the place of a couple of expenses they have in their budget. When you present your solution and they say they don’t have it in their budget, you can refer back to those expenses you discussed during your discovery call. 

Schedule a Follow-​Up Call or Visit

To that end, don’t have conversations about product during the discovery call. It’s hard to do, but instead, try and focus the call on their issues and goals. Make them ask what you can do to help. That’s a huge buying signal. Tell them you need time to look over their information, then put together a custom solution. 

Don’t end your meeting without scheduling a follow-​up appointment! If you have played your cards right, they will be interested in hearing more. This next appointment should take place no more than one week after the first call. You will have brought up some issues that will get them thinking. Take too long, and they’ll be calling the competition for help.