If you find that your deals are falling through the cracks or you're losing your prospects to your competition, perhaps the problem is that you're not leaving anything behind. You might be thinking of brochures and other leave-behinds, but that's not what we're talking about here. Instead, we're talking about the things you should be leaving behind any why these things are so critical to moving your deal forward. Research phase Unless you're dealing with a referral, when you're dealing with a prospect, that person is probably considering other people as well. Even if the prospect reached out to you and seems completely interested, that person is ultimately looking for the best deal. You must stay top of mind. Ensure that you stay relevant and always present without being annoying. You must give the prospect something valuable. Content Consider leaving content behind that ties directly to what you've already discussed. Or leave content that helps the prospect prepare for the next scheduled meeting. Once you've done this a time or two, you'll understand why it's so important. Imagine IT companies in this situation that are evaluating service companies. You won't be the only company they are considering, but you want them to forget those other companies and focus on yours. One option is to determine which other companies the prospect is considering. Create landmines Create landmines for the competitor. For instance, when I sold document management services, I had a competitor whose services were only good for one department. The competitor served that department very well, but the other departments hated their services. I planted the idea in our prospects' minds that a tool that only benefits one department isn't really a valuable tool for the entire company. My leave-behind was the idea that the competitor would only benefit a small portion of the company. If it wasn't a good fit, certain departments wouldn't use it, which would result in wasted money because no one used the software. I suggested to the prospect that a solution that benefits everyone would be a better fit. Format In the past, that kind of content might have appeared in the form of a white paper. Now, however, your prospects are busy and many things are grabbing at their attention. Instead, consider a LinkedIn post or article, or a podcast, or a video addressing the issue. Identify the top things that make your company a favorable choice. Highlight the challenges that your company can solve better than the competition. Educate your buyer before you return for the next meeting or demonstration. That way, when the prospect meets with the competition, they'll know what issues to ask questions about. If you're not leaving anything behind, the prospect may simply respond to the flashy, cool presentation. Notifications Make this tool even more powerful by using tools that notify you when the prospect opens the message or clicks on the video. Consider, for example, that you send a video for your prospect to watch prior to the next meeting. Maybe it answers questions that frequently occur during the second meeting. If you send it with BombBomb, you'll know when the prospect watched it, and whether they watched the entire video. It helps you know when and how the prospect is engaging with your content. Do something different Everyone is leaving a business card, so you must do something that helps you stand out from the crowd. Make your company the obvious choice. Position yourself as the trusted advisor and the one who is helping the prospect understand all the important considerations before making a decision. If you're not leaving anything behind, your promising deal may disappear. "You’re Not Leaving Anything Behind" episode resources If you haven't connected with me on LinkedIn already, do that at Donald C. Kelly and watch the things I'm sharing there. You've heard us talk about the TSE Certified Sales Training Program, and we're offering the...

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