...but not the kind that blows up in your face.

You already know that I want to make sure that I do everything right before I close.

So, I have to do a thorough job finding issues, problems, goals, pain, whatever you want to call it.

I also want to determine what is not important and if I have a feature that addresses that, I do not want to present it. Why? Simple, if it's in there and your prospect doesn't need or want it, he may shop for a solution that doesn't have that feature. If it turns out that they develop an issue and need that feature, you can say, "It's in there. No extra charge"

Finally,

• I start the presentation with the list of problems that they need a solution to and ask is that everything? Has anything changed.
• Then I ask, "Where do you want to start? Which one first?"
• I demo that solution only and ask will that fix it?
• If they say, "Yes." I ask, "Good. Which one next?"
• When I've addresses everything that needs to be addressed, I ask my closing question.
• If, along the way, I hit an obstacle, I handle it or suggest that we've reached an impasse that will prevent us from working together. However, this is rare if you have all the stakeholders at the demo, and it's not the first time that you've met any of them, and you've addressed each of their needs in the list of issues to be solved, and the timeline is agreed to and the cost of consequences is understood and will show ROI on the investment. In other words, EVERYBODY is on the same page about EVERYTHING.
• Go back and look at the funnel on this page.
  • Think about it. 512 people are searching for a solution to a problem that you may be able to fix.
  • Only 16 of them will become real sales calls. That's 496 nos.
  • Out of the 16 real sales calls, 12-14 of them will not need a demo or proposal.
  • ...and out of the 4 that make it to the red zone, only ONE will buy.
  • That's 511 nos for every yes.

Bottom line: Find the balance between thoroughly disqualifying and spending time with people that are not going to buy (for whatever reason).

True story: Rep booked a call on 4/29/2019. We talked once. Exchanged a few emails and ended with me writing "I'm sure there's somebody out there for you." on 5/20/2019. He reached out to me again on March 20, 2021. (Two years later.) Paid me that day. No muss. No fuss.

I never thought about him during the two years and probably wouldn't have if he hadn't come back, but here's the question...

If I had badgered him, nurtured him, spammed him, tried to close him during the two years, how would have it ended up and how many other deals would I have not gotten because I was spending time with him?

Just something to think about.