After all the years I’ve been in the sales consulting business the one phenomenon that I always find surprising is how many sales reps simply email quotes and proposals to their customers instead of presenting it to them over the phone or face-to-face.
When Should I present my Quote?
I would suggest you always present your quote in the following scenarios:
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NOTE: Don’t present your quote if you are quoting the same customer a product/service they have bought 10 times before, OR it’s a low value/low priority quote!
8 Reasons Why You Should Present Your Quote Face-To-Face or by Phone
- You can influence their interpretation of your quote: By taking your customer through the quote, you have a unique opportunity to participate in the first impression they get.
- More time with the customer: You can never spend too much time getting to know your customer. Remember, they are buying you, your company and the products/services described in their quote, not just the products/services.
- A live 2-way discussion: A live 2-way discussion enables you to feel and hear the customer’s evaluation of your quote. It enables you to talk through any hurdles, questions, or concerns they may have right then and there. It’s also a lot faster than 10 emails back and forth over 3 days.
- Ensure they read it: Ever sent over a quote to a customer that says they needed it “yesterday” and 2 weeks after you sent it, you call them to find out that they haven’t read it yet as it’s buried under a stack of other work they are behind on? So, if you want to ensure they read it, read it with them.
- Establish the next actions: Salespeople are not always sure what comes next after they email over a quote. When to follow up? When is the customer going to make a decision? Who else may be involved in evaluation? What else do they need to make a decision? By presenting the quote, you can get commitment on the next steps with the customer.
- Avoid feeling like a “Sales Rep”: I don’t know about you, but I hate feeling like a “sales rep”. That feeling you get when you spend days and weeks chasing your customer to find out what’s happening with your quote. Selling does not need to be “us” vs. “them”. One way to feel like a partner or a colleague in the discussion is to present yourself along with the quote.
- Confirm their Commitment Level: When they agree to meet to review your plan that is a clear indication of their level of engagement, commitment and interest.
- Get to Yes or No Faster: By presenting the quote, having live 2-way discussions, establishing next actions and gauging their commitment, you will get a Yes or No faster. That is way better than chasing someone while your quotes sit out there longer and longer.
REMEMBER THIS:
Every customer will agree to receive a quote but not all will agree to review it with you.
Which group is more likely to buy from you?
When your customer receives your quote that should be, at a minimum, the 2nd time they have been told about the price. The 1st time would have come verbally from you as part of your trial close.
Remember, if they don’t like the price verbally, they won’t like it “on paper” either.