Commitment: The Fatal Flaw In Sales Cycle

Start GAINING commitment, instead of GIVING commitment

The ability to gain commitment is an integral part of being successful in all aspects of sales cycle. In fact it is one of the most important parts, because it shows us whether we are moving forward or not.

There is a fatal flaw that exists in many sales people’s understanding of commitment. For example, they believe a sales cycle has moved forward if they have gained commitment to…

Send some product literature.

Do a proposal.

Catch up in a few weeks time.

WRONG!  

They have not ‘gained’ commitment. They have ‘given’ commitment – they are the only ones who are moving forward.

The problem with this behaviour is that…

• The literature may go straight into the bin.
• The customer may be planning on using your proposal to negotiate with another provider.
• The customer has no intention to buy but is too polite to say so.

The only way to tell if a sales cycle is really moving forward

is to focus on & measure the customer’s commitment, not yours!