Selling Your Expertise

CHAPTER 11Drive the Process Forward

Chapter 11: Drive the Process Forward

Inertia is the invisible, yet formidable enemy to your business development efforts. It's constantly there, weighing you down and slowing your forward momentum. Inertia never rests. It usually takes less effort to maintain the status quo than to effect change by hiring you. When clients reach out to you with a specific need, no matter how high the need is on their priority list, inertia and other priorities may slow down the process. As a result, you'll want to take ownership for maintaining the momentum and driving the process forward—or else it can easily stand still. Driving the process, though, does not mean being pushy. You still need to focus on what's best for your prospects. You must understand when you can accelerate the process, when you'll need to be patiently persistent, and when there is no way to move forward.

There are many reasons the sales process can stall. Maybe the problem you've been asked to fix has resolved itself. Perhaps your prospect encountered a bigger issue, lost their budget, or simply forgot. Regardless of the reason why the process has halted, you still want to know where you stand at all times and what you can do to advance to a close. Forward momentum doesn't happen on its own. It requires attention, effort, and persistence. Ongoing action is necessary to fight inertia. For any prospect you're pursuing, don't let the momentum stop.

Keep Things in Motion

Like a flywheel, ...