How Attempts to Speed up the Sales Cycle Can Hurt Client Relationships

We've all been involved with sales opportunities that seemed to take forever to close. In spite of your best efforts to move the process along, someone or something conspires against the sale, and it drags on. While many of the tactics you might use to "speed up the client's buying cycle" could lead to a win, they could also work against your long-term interests. Assuming you decide that a sales opportunity is the right one to pursue, your goal is straightforward: to reach commitment with the client to do the project in a mutually beneficial way. As you devote time to working on the sale, though, you also become invested in the sale. And that's when you can get antsy and want to "speed things up." That is, get the client to decide faster–in your favor, of course. On the surface, it makes sense to encourage clients to move a sale along. After all, if you have done your job, the imperative for the work is compelling, the value is clear, and your proposal addresses the client's concerns (at least from your perspective). So giving the client a nudge seems not only harmless, but in everyone's best interests. What's In a Nudge? Nudges can take many forms. Some consultants try to entice clients to sign on the dotted line by offering to slash their fee, often without a corresponding reduction in scope. Or they might even try to close a sale by offering that lower fee if the client makes the decision by a certain date.