You’re probably not losing deals because you lack hustle. Deals usually stall because calendars get crowded and calls keep getting pushed back. Prospects who seemed eager at first may drift into the “let’s touch base next month” category. Rather than letting your deals lose steam and eventually stall, you can keep the momentum going with some structure.
In a post for the Calendar blog, writer Aaron Heienickle says that with conscious time blocks, deals move faster because you’re applying deliberate energy at the right moments. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share his best calendar plays for keeping your pipeline active and moving forward.
Don’t Miss A Thing: SUBSCRIBE To PPAI Newslink
Play 1: Discovery block every Monday morning. Heienickle recommends dedicated Monday mornings for discovery conversations. Many sales reps skip discovery because it doesn’t feel productive. However, he says it’s one of the highest-leverage activities you can do. Planning it for Monday morning matters because your prospects are fresh off the weekend and thinking about the week ahead.
Play 2: Proposal building block every Wednesday afternoon. He advises Wednesday afternoon for proposal blocks because you’ve had the discovery conversation and you’ve had time to think about their problem. Heienickle suggests blocking 3 hours every Wednesday for proposal development. Give yourself focused time to deeply think about a prospect’s problems and craft customized proposals.
Play 3: Objection handling session every Friday at 9 AM. Set aside 2 hours every Friday morning to plan for objections. Heienickle says that by Friday, prospects have had a few days to read your proposal and think of reasons not to buy. The timing matters because your prospect hears your response while the proposal is still on their mind. You’re not responding to something they asked on Friday on Monday. You’re staying in the conversation.
Play 4: Relationship-building lunch every other Tuesday. Not every conversation is about closing, Heienickle says. Some conversations build the relationship that makes closing possible. Block a Tuesday lunch every 2 weeks for a prospect or customer you’re developing depth with. These aren’t pitches, he says. These are conversations.
Your calendar can often be the solution to long sales cycles. Create dedicated time blocks for tasks like discovery calls and proposal work. This way, you won’t be constantly reacting to stalled conversations, but you’ll be creating a rhythm that keeps prospects engaged.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Aaron Heienickle contributes to the Calendar blog and covers topics including business, technology and innovation.
