Stop Assuming…Start Knowing

Do you make assumptions before you ever walk in the door of a new prospect? Have you ever heard the voice inside of your head say: “I’m sure they have this in place since they are a larger company.” or “They are growing so fast, I’m sure I don’t need to bring this point up.”? In some cases, you may actually say it to the prospective client, “I’m going to skip a few questions as I believe you already have that base covered.”

It’s easy to do if we are not careful. I did it as recently as last quarter.

I had a prospect who, when they first approached me, said they might need my help. They assured me everything was fine but they were concerned about a transition their sales organization would be going through over the course of 2017. As a matter of fact, they wanted to start it in 2016 but were so busy they had not gotten to it.

Because they were so successful, I made assumptions. I assumed they had certain tools in place because of their growth and the fact they had really nice offices and well-dressed staff. I assumed we were talking the same language when we talked about sales velocity and sales enablement.

I was wrong. Due to my assumptions, I ended up creating 3 different proposals because when I presented one, I found out that some of my assumptions were wrong and that I needed to reconfigure my approach. Yes, I wasted my time. But more importantly, I wasted my prospective client’s time.

Ask the Question

Eighty percent of what my clients need, regardless of their size, is the same. The other 20% is specific to their business and the personalities involved. However, that 20% really matters for a successful outcome. Customers benefit, and I benefit, when I put them through a thorough discovery process. When you ask the right questions, you either confirm your assumptions or identify areas where they need help.

Many sales professionals don’t like to use a “checklist” of questions because it seems too formal or stiff. They want the conversation to be more natural. I agree. That is why you should create good questions that prompt great conversations and even better discovery. When you have a better discovery process, you deliver a solution that accomplishes your customer’s desired outcome.

So, don’t let your assumptions get in the way of truly understanding your customer’s strengths and where they can improve. You will only extend the sales cycle and, potentially, undermine your own credibility and put the business at risk.

Improving Your Discovery Process

Your discovery process is one for the most important parts of your sales process. It helps you uncover where prospective customers really need help. The Corlea Group helps clients develop and refine their sales process, including the discovery process, to ensure your assumptions are not getting in the way of providing greater value to your customers and prospects.

If that sounds interesting to you, then let’s talk and see if there might be a good fit. Just send an email to info@corleagroup.com or give us a call at (858) 863-9913.

Stop assuming, start knowing!