A Strategy Session to Close the Deal

Earlier today I was talking to one of my star sales reps and he was telling me about a new tactic that he was using to help close business: a strategy session. The idea makes perfect sense. After engaging with a prospect, doing web demoes, and helping them feel comfortable with the process, you ask for them to purchase your goods or services, but they are still on the fence. In lieu of going straight ahead and asking for their business, certain prospects need a painted picture of success, which is where a strategy session comes in.

Here’s how the strategy session might work:

• Ask the prospect for one hour of their time to do a strategy session
• Provide three common best practice plans for your goods or services and have them choose one
• Take them through a series of questions around the chosen best practice they want to execute (e.g. increase PPC ROI through specialized landing pages with auto-responders)
• After you finish the phone call, send them a completed worksheet with all the information and execution plans
• Ask for their business and the opportunity to make them successful with the output of the strategy session

Strategy sessions are a great way to dig deeper during the consultative sales process, build trust, and ensure alignment of prospect goals.

What else? What are your thoughts on using a strategy session to close the deal?