HTSS153 - How to determine your sales cycles and stay on top to close deals - Scott Sylvan Bell

Sales cycles are cyclical and you can close more deals knowing this

If you can stay in sales long enough you will find you run in cycles. Statistically speaking you will run through all 6 of these periods mentioned. If you keep good notes you can spot trends before they happen.

Top salespeople hold themselves accountable  

You have to be willing to be accountable to yourself, a CRM or a Manager.  When you are new the time frame typically is short and the run-up and rundowns happen quickly and the plateau is short.  If you have been in the field for a while the run up and run downs are quick but the plateaus are longer.

The Bell Curve of Sales Success 

Think of long term sales like a bell curve.  Everyone has their own time frame for this, meaning your time frame isnt someone elses time frame. You can look at what others are doing and see what phase or period they are in. 

There are 6 stages identified for sales success:

The climb – you are selling and getting traction

• Momentum is weird and it can be slow or fast. You are heading up the side of the bell curve. You may say things like “I can do this” , “this is hard but its worth it”

The Par – where you are closing and everything is good

• You have gotten your track and you feel like your feet are underneath you. You may say things to yourself like “I am back”, “I close deals” “I am good” “I am amazing”

The heater – borrowed from a run in a casino – You close everything

• You have momentum on your side and you can close sales. You may say things like “I am the best” or “I can close anyone” “I am the greatest man alive”

The plateau – where you are doing well but you feel slippage

• It sounds strange but you will wake up one morning without “fuel” you may also feel like you have a lack of focus. You may start having some doubt “Am I really this good” do I deserve can I really do this – doubt in the mind of

Sub par – where you are selling “not closing”

• There are 2 things that really create a slide backward and to a loss of leads.
• You have ego issues “I am the best and nobody can tell me what to do or how to do it
• You have a major event happen in your life (loss of / gain of from the money you just made)
• You will say things to yourself like “I made enough money this month / quarter” “I just need to make $__________ this month to pay my bills to be ok” – most of these conversations are about money than skill.

Freefall – Nothing is working and deals are not closing (panic + loss of control)

• Freefall in sales is the panic you feel when you know you have lost traction. You will tend to speed up your time in the presentation to get to the close. You talk about yourself a ton because your inward focus is on loss. You start trying huge discounts to close deals. You say things to yourself like “I cant do this” “Why do I keep getting the bad leads” anything that pits you against the world. Poor me is what it looks like from the outside. 

How to stay on top in sales

When you keep track of your sales process you can spot a dangerous trend before it begins. This does take some work and or effort on your part. If you really want to be a closer in sales you do need to know where you are going and what you are doing.