Taking and maintaining control of the sales process is a critical competency for today’s B2B salesperson because it’s never been harder to sell.

Based on CEB’s research for “The Jolt Effect” 38% of the average salesperson’s deals are lost, not to the competition but to the customer making no decision at all. These are customers who often go through the entire purchase journey, only to end up doing nothing.

The Current Sales Landscape

• Increasing Stakeholders: The buying decision now involves an average of 6.8 different stakeholders, according to CEB.

• Hidden Stakeholders: Often, individuals involved in the final decision are absent from the sales process.

• Misalignment of Stakeholders: When these key stakeholder can’t agree on the problem, it’s nearly impossible to align on the solution.

The Best Weapon: Maintain Control of the Process

Your ability to initiate and maintain command of the sale gives you the highest likelihood of winning.

Why is it Important?

The Consequences of Not Maintaining Control

Failure to maintain control places your prospect in the driver’s seat, allowing them to dictate the process, stakeholder involvement, timeline, and the overall journey.

How to Maintain Control

Establish your “proven & proprietary” sales process

A defined and trusted sales process makes it significantly easier to maintain control, as your clients place their trust in your expertise.

Clearly define “what good looks like” at each stage of your sales process.

Establish clear goals, objectives, and agendas for each stage of your sales process. Start each stage of your sales process by taking control.

Ask questions through a “BIG-to-small” approach

The person asking questions is in control of the conversation. Engage your prospects with thoughtful open-ended questions, followed up with tighter more focused questions that uncover their specific wants, needs, pains & desired gains.

Provide Stakeholder Guidance

Direct your prospect on who (which stakeholders) should be part of each meeting. This helps ensure that the right voices are heard from the start.

Win the Race to the Objection

Anticipate objections and address them proactively. Approach them from a position of confidence rather than defensiveness.

Articulate Alignment & Fit:

Communicate how your prospect fits within your ideal client profile and why you recommend advancing to the next stage of the sales process together.

Secure the Closed Loop

Say: “The next step of our process is…” and secure the day & time in calendar.

In Conclusion

Maintaining control of the sale is not just a skill; it's a necessity.

Mastering this competency positions you as the expert guide in the sales journey, ensuring that you lead the process from start to finish. So, maintain control, ask thoughtful questions, and watch your sales process transform into a streamlined and successful journey.

‍