The 48-Hour Rule™
Did you know that your prospects and customers are evaluating you (and your organization) with every interaction? They’re asking themselves the following questions:
- Is this person (organization) reliable?
- Will this person handle my needs in a timely manner?
- Can I trust this person to follow-up on their promises?
- Will this person’s sense of urgency match my timeframes?
Simply stated the 48-Hour Rule™ stipulates that to maintain sales momentum you need to consider the correct follow-up or action within 48 hours after interest has been established. Why? Because after 48 hours, mindshare has vanished, momentum is lost, and new problems or opportunities have arisen.
A Note about Speed
The 48-hour rule™ should never be confused with opting for speed over quality. This is especially true when considering the sense of urgency regarding executive interactions. It’s far more important to have a clear purpose and the highest level of quality for each and every executive sponsor interaction than to check a task off your list.
A Case in Point
When I was a Sales VP one of my sellers set up a meeting for me with his executive sponsor at one of his largest accounts. We did a really good job of pre-call planning, including identifying possible next steps and anticipating follow up items. The seller even lined a few things up in advance. The meeting went very well and we were able to respond very quickly to the requests of the executive sponsor. Later, that executive commented to me on his positive impression of my sales person. The combination of solid pre-call planning and use of the 48-hour rule™ was a winning combination!
The Lesson
Customer meetings with rock solid follow up mean ‘Ringingthe bell’ more frequently with TOP Line Account™ wins.
If you want to ring the bell more frequently with TOP Line Account™ victories in 2019, then jump on the 48-Hour Rule™ bandwagon!
The TOP Line Account™ Sales Success Model
Common close ratio: 25%
Add consistent pre-call planning: +20%
Add account strategy work, including Win Themes™: +20%
NEW CLOSE RATIO: 65% +
How to Identify and Leverage Win Themes™ for Every Prospect Call
Catch my freeBrightTalk webinar on Thurs., March 14 at 9 am PT if you want to learn more about this important differentiator.
Register at https://bit.ly/2SrrU8b (or search for this session (or past sessions) on the BrightTalknetwork – Sales Experts Channel)
Who Should Attend?
Salespeople who want to beat their competition.
Sales VP’s who want to learn how Win Themes™ can have a dramatic impact on many stages of the sales process.
Do You Need an Executive Sponsor?
Get the book, The TOP Seller Advantage: Powerful Strategies to Build Long-Term Executive Relationships. It includes proven strategies to ensure sellers develop long-lasting executive access. Check it out at http://amzn.to/2hdas8J
About Lisa Magnuson:
Lisa Magnuson is an expert in corporate strategic sales and TOP Line Account™ revenue building. As a respected sales consultant and author, Lisa works with clients to build successful strategic sales programs that drive revenue from large new accounts and enable growth from existing high-value customers. Learn more at www.toplinesales.com
Lisa D. Magnuson
Big Deal Strategist
[email protected]
www.toplinesales.com
