Why the Close Plan is Dead

We've all been there "Get your closing plans in by 17:00 today" our Sales Managers would say. Now, I would always do my duty and get them there (ahead of time) but was never comfortable with the closing plan.

It's All About Me

The reason I didn't like the closing plan, was the fact it was all about me / us, it was never about the customer. OK, it was partly about the customer, when are they going to sign the contract, raise the Purchase Order (PO) and when we had all that paperwork in our hands. That was it. Finished.

But we all know, It's All About the Customer

Today in the connected economy it's all about the customer. Let's stop here for a second. This is NOT about some vision of the world thought up by me or any other Social Seller. This is the world we live in today. This world has been thrust upon us by customers, their ability to go on line and choose where ever service they want. So what's the answer?

The "Go Live Plan" or the "Business Benefit Plan"

In 2016 we have a responsibility to our customers and professionalism as Salespeople to make sure, that the "sale" closes when the customer is gaining an agreed level of business benefit. This maybe at go live, it maybe after that. The fact of the matter is, we need to building that into our plans and working backwards.

Yes, signing a contract and getting a PO raised is important, but just a step in helping our clients get the best from our solution. Commercial frameworks are important.

I'm also not advocating "walking away" at that point, our relationships with clients should continue, why? It makes total business sense.

• We need references to support pipeline progression, the best place to find these is not a reference program but from the relationships we already have created.
• Referral Selling from within our own Territory / Community, gives us inbound and a ready pool of lead generation.
• If we have gained "trusted advisor" status then we have the opportunity for upsell and cross sell.
• I'm assuming that by selling something you get commission, which is an amazing byproduct of great customer relations.

Want to know how to sell to the modern, connected buyer?

If you're interested in a blueprint to help you in your move to digital and social then I recommend my book. “Social Selling - Techniques to Influence Buyers and Changemakers”. Written in a workbook style, it's designed to help you implement a digital and Social strategy across Sales and Marketing. 

To order follow this link to Amazon there is also a Kindle, eBook version.

About the Author

Tim Hughes is co-founder of Digital Leadership Associates a company that provides support and guidance in all areas of Social as well as Social Selling. He has been called "an innovator and pioneer" of Social Selling and in the recent Onalytica list of the most influential Social Sellers globally, Tim was named as number 1.

Tim can be contacted on Twitter @timothy_hughes where he has some 155,000 followers or tim@digitalleadershipassociates.com - You can find him at his blog The Social Selling Network

Digital Leadership Associates 

Digital Leadership Associates is a consultancy to help companies move to digital and social. Set up by Social Media guru and bestselling social media author, Adam Gray @agsocialmedia and myself. DLA provides advice and guidance to companies, given by actual Social practitioners, that is people with actual experience in social media, social and digital transformations.  Check out our website or contact me at tim@digitalleadershipassociates.com