newsalesguy14

Account Executive

Valued Contributor

How aggressive your follow-up on open opps?

Specifically when there isn't a next step on the board (i.e. they didn't agree to another meeting, said they have to meet internally and will update via email after, etc.)

For example, I came back with discounted pricing to compete with my prospects' current vendors. She asked me to email it over because she's traveling for work the next month, which obviously isn't ideal because I wanted to further negotiate terms and squeeze her for a final decision.

During prospecting, I'm pretty aggressive with follow up. With open opps, I tend to follow up on my emails about a week apart so I don't annoy or turn off my prospects.

In this situation, I'm tempted to resurface my email 2 days later and be like "do you have any questions on this?" and then next week follow up again a bit more strategically.

OR - should I just give her some space to do her thing, and then next week be a bit more empathetic and ask if she has any questions or if the quote makes us look competitive?

This prospect has annoyed me so I'm tempted to be on the more aggressive side with her lol.

ANYWAYS this question is less about this specific situation (though feedback is welcome) and is more about in GENERAL what is your follow up style with OPEN opportunities around this stage?

👑 Sales Strategy

8

14 comments

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funcoupons

WR Officer

6

👑

Your mistake was emailing pricing over without having a conversation about it first, but seems like you know that already.

If she's traveling you might be SOL as I doubt this project is top of mind. I'd email her again a week from sending the pricing and ask if you can hop on a call to touch base. Don't try and have conversations/negotiations through email. If she says she's too busy or whatever know you're probably not getting the deal right now but do follow up next month.

I follow up on the agreed upon date between myself and the prospect. Before I end any call, we set a timeline. I always ask them to give me one. "When will you be able to have this conversation with the rest of the team? The 15th? Ok, let's get some time on the calendar for the 16th so we can touch base." If a prospect is hesitant to give me a date or doesn't want me to follow up I know they're not actually serious and I'm wasting my time so I'm quick to move on.

I've learned the hard way that as soon as you let the prospect call the shots and ignore your process, you're dead in the water. Retain control or be prepared to walk away. You're not their bitch.

newsalesguy14

Politicker

1

Account Executive

You just spit facts. Thank you for the response!!

funcoupons

WR Officer

2

👑

It's why they pay me the big bucks yo. You're welcome

CuriousFox

WR Officer

3

🦊

Duuuuuude. Why did you send pricing when she gave you the MASSIVE red flag of going out of town for a month?

newsalesguy14

Politicker

2

Account Executive

So we already had a pricing discussion, I then went back for approval to make things work for her. But yes I'm realizing maybe I should've held off sending this round of pricing too.

Would you have just said "ok let's connect over this once you're done traveling?"

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

You live and you learn. They key word is learn 😆

I don't send pricing. I discuss it with them in a face to face meeting with clear next steps and a contract on stand by. Don't make it easy for them to give your pricing to a competitor. They do it all of the time.

newsalesguy14

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Interesting - I always meet face to face (well Zoom) over it as well, but send the quote over after so they have it. But I like this idea.

If they ask for the quote to be emailed over, should I pivot to this now being a conversation about an order form/contract and button that up?

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

3

SaaS Eater

@funcoupons is pretty dead on here. The only thing I would add is that your issue probably goes back to discovery/qualifying. Early in the process did you uncover their timeline to make a decision? If so, was it within a month?

Traveling for a month sounds like a smokescreen that is hiding the real objection here and reason for lack of urgency. Beyond that, if you are on the phone with a prospect and they wont agree to a set FU, that should flag to you that they are not bought in and you need to isolate the objection right then and there or you will lose the deal. Dont be afraid to push the envelope there, too many average sales people are worried about ruffling feathers late in the sales process.

Ask them if they are confident what you have covered will solve whatever issues you have uncovered in discovery. If you get anything but a resounding yes, you need to stop the convo, dig in to understand where value is missing and resell before setting a Fu and getting off the phone.

Sorry I know this is unrelated to FU after the meeting but I think this is where you missed in this scenario and hopefully you can correct for future deals!

funcoupons

WR Officer

3

👑

On point advice right here.

mitts2

Politicker

1

Account Executive

I am pretty aggressive when it comes to follow ups. Every other day for the most part especially for active deals (unless I have a meeting scheduled already then obviously I don't follow up that relentlessly). If it is a healthy deal, the prospect / champion will be engaged.

I think it has already been said but if your prospect isn't actively working with you and agreeing to FUs to move the deal forward, then it's probably time to take a step back and re-evaluate the discovery / value prop conversation.

Good luck!

mitts2

Politicker

3

Account Executive

Also my go-to when someones asks to see pricing over email is I just say that our finance / billing / deal desk team / etc. requires us to share it live and then I ask for like 10-15 min to get on a call.

Shockingly enough it doesn't get much push back.

newsalesguy14

Politicker

1

Account Executive

I love this and will absolutely start using it. Thanks!

GDO

Politicker

1

BDM

Always have a next step! If you do not have agreement on it, it will go nowhere

linkedinconnectmaster

Politicker

0

CEO

not at all

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