Your job as part of IT sales is to get your client moved onto the next step.  If you don’t snag them right away and get them to sign on, you need to figure out the urgency of their needs.

The first IT sales consultation is about getting clients to move onto the next level, such as to a site survey.  Some clients will be quick to jump into that, but some might put you off and say they need to get back to you.

The truth is, you shouldn’t get this type of reaction; if you know how important a project is to your client, you will be able to bring them through the IT sales process.

For example, a prospect might decide he/she wants to move from DOS-based fax software to 32-bit fax software, fax to PDAs and set up VPNs between offices.  Is this a distant dream or a real project?  You need to figure out by asking the right questions of your prospects:

1.    If everything looks good, when do you want to get started?

2.    How important is this project?

3.    What is preventing you from starting the project now?

4.    Why haven’t you already done this project?

IT Sales and Changing Needs

Perhaps your prospects have tried to do this project in the past, but thought it was too expensive, or impossible.  It may have initially been a bigger solution challenge or needs analysis challenge, and it may still be bigger than they anticipated.

Direct Questions

To avoid the big blow-off with IT sales, ask very pointed questions, without being pushy.  For example, ask when a good time to follow up would be, and when the prospects would be better equipped to revisit the project.    

Not all present “no”’s are future “no”’s.  

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101