When you offer a discount to get the order in the current period, the result is that the order closes when the buyer completes the purchase process (often after the sales rep deadline ends ) but the discount stays. This is supported by many research reports, as well as my experience of 30+ years in Sales & Sales Management.
What are the reasons a prospect may not accept your offer to buy now?
- The budget is not yet approved
- The gate keepers have not yet indicated acceptance of the product
- The prospect is still seeking info on competitive solutions
- Your price is not justified yet in terms of value perceived by the prospect
- There is no acute pain regarding the problem your solution solves for this prospect
- The purchase process is in the early stages
- The switching costs to change to your solution are perceived to be unacceptable
If your sales team is discounting on a regular basis to get the order moved up, it could be an indication of several issues from weak value propositions to inadequate or inconsistent sales process to sales management coaching.
Contact Growth Process Group to learn how our Sales Assessment service can quickly identify the root causes and put you on a path to rapid improvement.
