Let’s face it — today’s buyers are often buried under competing priorities, internal resistance and constant demands. They may know they need to act on a deal but are weighed down by uncertainty. This can cause delays in deals, costing your business time and opportunities, and threatening to hold your buyers back. It is your sales force’s job to help them overcome this deal paralysis.
How? Today’s buyers often fail to see their pain points as critical enough to act swiftly. They may know risks exist in their status quo — but without a seller guiding them to see the full scope of their exposure, they may delay action indefinitely.
Instead of passively searching for buyers with a “sense of urgency,” sellers need to become the source of urgency. You are not just solving pain points — you are revealing them. Here is how to make it work in practice.
HELP YOUR SALESPEOPLE EMBRACE THE ROLE OF CHALLENGER — WITHOUT BECOMING “PUNKS”
Many B2B leaders are familiar with the “Challenger” sales model, which emphasizes challenging the buyer’s status quo to drive action. But for some, the word “challenger” conjures up images of an overly aggressive or confrontational salesperson, something no one wants to be. However, becoming a source of urgency does not mean becoming a “punk” or a pushy salesperson. Instead, it means asking the tough questions and bringing to light the realities that can compel your buyer to consider what is truly at stake and what they could gain from addressing their issues.
When your salespeople are persistent, when they poke at the buyer’s complacency, they may feel like they are being too assertive. But when done right, they can take on the role of a trusted advisor who is genuinely helping the buyer by bringing hidden risks to light.
Whether they verbalize it or not, buyers often wrestle with fears like, “Can I handle this project right now?” or “What will happen if I take this risk?”
Your salesperson’s No. 1 job is to help them see that not taking action is the bigger risk.
CREATE URGENCY IN EVERY STAGE OF THE SALES PROCESS
- Prospecting: During prospecting, your goal is not simply to qualify leads who already feel an urgent need. Instead, you should help prospects identify what is at stake if they do not take action. Ask probing questions that uncover risks or challenges they may not fully realize. Instead of waiting for the buyer to recognize their need, you proactively show them what they could be missing.
- Discovery: Discovery is a pivotal stage where you begin to dig deeper into the buyer’s situation — this is the quest of discovery. Here, you are not just learning about their business; you are uncovering hidden issues. Buyers may say they are doing fine, but through thoughtful, curious questioning, you can help them see potential business problems they have ignored. This is where you apply the concept of “status quo busting.” By revealing the dangers of inaction, you create an internal tension that compels them to move forward.
- Proposal: When presenting your solution, do not just focus on features and benefits. Instead, tie your solution directly to the urgent problems you uncovered during discovery. Highlight the cost of doing nothing — whether that is missed opportunities, increased risk or falling behind the competition. Sellers who understand how to align their value propositions with their buyers’ pain points can accelerate decision-making.
- Negotiation: Even at the negotiation table, you can create urgency. By reminding the buyer of the risks they face without your solution, you position your offering as the only viable path forward. Negotiation is not about price alone; it is about helping the buyer see that delaying action will cost them far more in the long run.
CONVEYING URGENCY AUTHENTICALLY WITH SEEK TO SERVE™
Today’s broader market climate would not be characterized as a hot market, where buyers are scrambling to solve clear and present dangers. And often is the case as the marketplace ebbs and flows. But in these quieter times, your salespeople’s roles are even more critical.
Instead of hoping they find the sense of urgency themselves, empower your salespeople to be the ones to show them why acting now is essential — be the source of urgency for buyers. This is not about manipulating the buyer; it is about genuinely helping them by revealing the cost of their inaction.
Being a source of urgency takes the highest caliber of sales skills. Elevate your team’s selling prowess with these 10 most-important individual performance drivers.