Don't let your sales process be your straitjacket

You're fully prepared for this pitch.

You have everything you need in advance, all of your questions planned along with answers to any potential objections mapped out.

You've covered all bases in your preparation and have a watertight process that you'll follow to the letter.

Fast forward 45 minutes. Pitch done.

You covered everything in detail. You drilled down into their issues and answered every objection.

This has to be a deal!

Fast forward a week. You've heard nothing back. No response to your emails or follow up calls.

It's now been two weeks. Nothing. You've been ghosted.

So what happened?

You missed one fundamental thing. The glue which holds the whole thing together.

You didn't let the conversation flow.

Your questioning process sounded like the Spanish Inquisition.

You didn't really listen to their answers.

In fact you answered a lot of your own questions based on assumption.

You didn't have a human conversation where things are given room to breathe.

Your process and strategy were completely self serving.

You had your own agenda and cared about nothing else.

You failed to build any rapport.

Your prospective client found you domineering, egocentric and arrogant.

They couldn't wait to get off the call.

Remember a 'pitch' isn't just a one size fits all process. It's a human interaction and every one is nuanced and different.

Whilst a sales process is important, don't let it be your straitjacket.

It's there to serve as a guide and not a rigid script with one actor.

Connect with people by being present, in the moment, explorative and genuinely interested.