The Sales Process from Prospect to Close – How to Turn Potential Clients into Brand Advocates

The sales process often takes winding paths, sometimes uphill, with unexpected turns. What steps should be taken to turn potential clients into brand advocates?

Stage 1: Leads – Build Trust from the Start

Before you begin the sales journey, prepare to walk a mile in the shoes of your potential client. Do your research – ensure that you understand their point of view, business model, and the future challenges they may face. Increase their value by educating them – they may not know about your company or the landscape you operate in. Show them where the gap is that you can fill. This is the foundation on which you can build your vision and demonstrate how you can collaborate.

Stage 2: Qualified Leads – Let Them Speak

Listening is crucial for turning a potential client into an actual client. Before jumping in and telling them who you are and what you do, ask them if they would like to tell you what they need, what’s important to them, and what they hope to achieve from the conversation. Qualify potential clients with a customer-centric approach. Listen and learn as much as you can about them.

Stage 3: Providing Value – Verify the Benefits and Value You Offer

It’s been a great journey, and now you’ve reached the field. This is the time to show specifically how you and your company can bring added value and work together to achieve their goals. This means utilizing the power of your team. Dive into the data, present case studies or references, and show them not only that you can align with their vision, but that they align with yours. Focus on their needs and the problems they want to solve. Speak the same language as your potential client.

Stage 4: Addressing Objections – Keep the Conversation Going

Objections are an opportunity to learn more about the potential client’s needs. Allow them to fully explain their concerns and ask many follow-up questions to understand the root cause of the issue. Objections are not punishments – they are valuable information. They provide you with another opportunity to offer value and solutions to their problems. You don’t want anyone to climb the hill with you if they’re not ready for it.

Stage 5: Build the Offer – Create a Proposal That Works for Both Parties

The stage before receiving a “yes” can be the hardest. Sometimes it’s difficult to remain objective when looking at numbers and creating a proposal. Closing a deal that works for everyone means remembering your future client while maintaining your position. This could be why the market for CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software is expected to grow by 126% over the next two years. By now, you should know that the client has the “budget, authority, need, and timeframe” (BANT) necessary to close the deal. Part of proving the price is justified is doing your homework and being able to show your work – use your tools and team to calculate a fair offer. Focus the discussion on value, not just costs. Know your limits and understand how much to give in negotiations. Trade, don’t give away services. Make sure everyone is ready to move forward with the deal.

Stage 6: Finalize the Proposal – Use All the Information Gathered Along the Way

Negative buyer sentiments are normal as you approach the end of negotiations. This is why it’s important to rely on the relationship and research you’ve done throughout the process. A CRM system is incredibly useful in such situations – it can help you review previous conversations, promises, and issues discussed earlier. Step back or walk away if you reach an impasse.

Stage 7: Close the Deal – Fulfill Your Commitments

Customer satisfaction is currently the most closely monitored KPI for sales teams worldwide. There’s a reason for this – a company’s fundamental position relies on recurring business transactions. After all the hard work to bring this client to the finish line, ensure that all this time and effort are not wasted. Once the deal is closed and the ink is dry, make sure the new client succeeds. This comes down to transferring them to the right point of contact – whether it’s a customer relations manager, customer director, or support team. Ensure that your promises are kept. Use your CRM technology to ensure you’re on the right path.

Creatio is a solution that supports sales, marketing, and customer service processes, as well as a low-code CRM/BPM platform that emphasizes innovation and a customer-centric approach. It provides the technology needed to build successful customer relationships.